Timing is Everything
by Pinkchick
Summary: Maybe the failed space mission wasn't a glitch after all. Reed lands himself in a future that is, but should never be. He comes to realize what he's really been missing. Family-centric. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** The Fantastic Four belong to Marvel.

**Author's Note:** A hello to all! There's not much to say except that this story came out of completely nowhere. A big thank you to **Sweet-destiny3** for being a great beta. This story will be a chapter story and I hope to hear from you all along the way. I hope you enjoy reading!

**____________________________**

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**__________________**

**Chapter One**

"Reed, dinner's ready."

"Just give me a sec, Sue," Reed called back.

He was working on a new piece of science equipment. If he stopped now, he knew he would be a step behind. It was one of his new creations and Reed was proud of his accomplishment. Reed had been working on the project for awhile now, and it was finally coming together. No one would ever look at a black hole the same way again. At least, Reed hoped they wouldn't.

He could hear the distant voices of his family filtering in through the lab doors. Reed let himself soak up the sounds of Johnny and Ben bickering over something or other. Again.

He could hear Sue chastise them for their child-like behavior. Again.

After the events with Galactus and the Silver Surfer, things had generally gone back to the way they were. As normal as they would ever be for a family with genetically advanced powers.

Reed and Sue had gone on their honeymoon; just the two of them alone. No media, no extra family, no Fantastic Four. It had been just he and his new wife. Sue had extremely enjoyed this break from reality and Reed had been happy because she had finally been able to relax into their lives.

When they got back to the Baxter Building, things went back to their hectic selves. There were always things going on which involved the Fantastic Four, otherwise, things were slowing down to the point of boredom.

Johnny would go out, sometimes with Frankie. Ben would go see Alicia, and Sue….

"Reed!"

Sue was always busying herself by acting as caretaker and filing through their finances.

"I said I was com—" Sue was standing inside the lab door, hands crossed and looking furious. "—ing."

"Coming?" Sue repeated, incredulous, narrowing her eyes. "Coming would actually mean you walking out of the lab, Reed."

"What?" Reed shrugged. "I would've only been five minutes late. It's not a big deal, Sue."

"Big deal?" Sue huffed and lowered her arms. She began moving forward, raking a hand through her hair. "Five minutes was over an hour ago, Reed."

"No, that's not possible." Reed looked at the clock on the wall behind him. He had the decency to look down. "Oh." He felt Sue move closer. "I, uh, guess I lost track of time."

"That's what you've been saying everyday for the past two weeks." Sue sighed again. Reed looked up at her. This time, he really looked. Sue looked tired. Her eyes were red and her whole posture spoke of resignation.

"Look, I'm sorry, but—"

Sue held up her hand to stop him. "Don't. Just… don't."

"But, Sue, you have to understand," Reed explained. "This experiment is really important to the scientific community."

"More important than your family?" Sue asked, raising an eyebrow as though challenging him.

"What? No, of course not. But, Sue—"

"Look, Reed. I'm not gonna lecture you or even say anything. It'll just go through one ear and go out the next," Sue said, looking him straight in the eye. "But, I really thought we'd talked about this." She looked away and fingered the equipment Reed had just been testing. "About being a family. Having a family. Just…" Sue stopped her hand motion and looked up at Reed with sadness. "Would it kill you to try and spend a little time with us every once in awhile? With me?"

"I have been spending time with you, Sue. Remember a few weeks ago, we went out to dinner?"

Sue laughed mirthlessly. Reed cringed. It wasn't something he should've mentioned, he realized. The night they had gone out, they were only able to enjoy fifteen minutes of their meal before a few photographers decided their alone time was up.

"And it's not like Johnny and Ben have really been around," Reed went on, attempting to redeem himself. "And you've been busy with the finances and all those patent papers to fill out."

At the look of sudden anger on Sue's face, Reed realized he was nowhere near redemption.

"Both Johnny and Ben, and," she laughed tightly, "even Alicia have been home for dinner. At least I get to see them occasionally. You, Reed, you're in your own little world."

"Sue—"

"Y'know." Sue jabbed her finger into Reed's chest. "Maybe if I were, God forbid, one of your _experiments_, I would get to spend more time with my own _husband_!"

Reed opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a word in, Sue had stormed out, her hands fisted at her sides. Reed watched her go silently. He knew he should've gone after her. Knew he should start figuring out some way to console her; let her know that he wasn't the same man she had dumped a couple of years ago. For some strange reason though, he could not get his body to move forward. It was as though his own great mind had finally failed him in the thinking department.

Reed glanced at all his lab contraptions and sighed tiredly. This wasn't the first time Sue had given him this lecture, but Reed couldn't think of what to do. He couldn't and certainly wouldn't give up his experiments. They were a part of the whole Reed Richards package and maybe Sue needed to realize that. She knew when she'd married him that he devoted a lot of his time to his work.

Picking the nearest chair, Reed sat down slowly. It just occurred to him that Sue had said "having a family". A strange sense of dread washed over him. He hoped she wasn't planning on children soon. Reed knew Sue wanted to start a family, but it was too soon and he just didn't feel ready to be a father. Even though he was certain Sue would be an amazing mother. There was never a doubt in Reed's mind about that.

Deciding he was jumping to conclusions, Reed went back to work. He almost tripped over the wire to the machine he was working on. Halfway through, he pillowed his head on the nearest stack of papers, a soft whirring sound coming to life behind him. Reed didn't turn to see where it was coming from; he was suddenly so tired.

Coming to the conclusion of talking to Sue the next day, he promptly fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** It belongs to Marvel. I'm just bored.

**Author's Note:** So, here's the 2nd chapter. The story will alternate between Reed and Sue's points of view, but Ben and Johnny will make plenty of appearances cause it's not really a romance fic, it's a story about family.

Anywho, enough of me. I hope you enjoy and please take a minute of your time to drop me a line to tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is an author's best friend! Enjoy!

—Pink

**____________________________**

**Timing is Everything **

**By: Pinkchick**

**_________________**

**Chapter 2**

"You don't show up to a date late, Matchstick." Sue heard Ben rumble as he and Johnny entered the apartment. "It ain't respectful of a gentleman."

"Yeah, whatever, Pebbles." Johnny snorted. Sue was tempted to roll her eyes at her brother, but she would wait until he was within viewing distance. "And who said I was a gentleman, anyway?"

There was a pause and a gruff laugh. "Well, that's true."

There was another pause and Sue could imagine Johnny's smirk. "Did we just agree on somethin'?"

The two of them moved into the kitchen, where Sue sat sulking. "Yeah, I guess we did, huh? But, let's just not make it a habit, Tinkerbell."

"Another agreement." Johnny pressed his hand against his heart dramatically. "The apocalypse must be coming."

At that, Sue did roll her eyes. "You guys are impossible."

"I know." Johnny smiled and sat down next to her at the kitchen table. He already had a plate and fork in his hand, pushing the last piece of cake toward him. "But that's why you love us."

"Yeah." Sue smiled genuinely for the first time in a week. "I guess that must be it."

Johnny plunged his fork into his cake and began eating. Ben sat across from them with a big mug of coffee. It was the scene of the three of them just sitting there, no words between them, no awkward silences, that made Sue angrier at Reed and his recent actions. Why couldn't he just see that she just wanted to spend a little quality time with him? She'd been feeling like his experiments were his number one priority in life and everything else, including herself, came second.

"What have you two been up to tonight anyway?" Sue asked, suddenly wondering why they were both coming in at the same time.

"Out, the usual," Johnny replied between bites. "Actually," he looked sheepish, "we were on a double date."

"A double date?" Sue raised her eyebrows and turned to face Johnny. "You, Johnny? Seriously?"

"Would I lie to my own sister about this?" Johnny asked innocently.

Sue didn't pause for contemplation. "Yes."

"Maybe you're right. But with Big Guy as my witness, it's true." Ben rolled his eyes at the nickname. "We actually, and cheesy as it is, had dinner together."

"I think you're right, Johnny," Sue said, "The apocalypse _is_ coming."

"Suzie, we were forced ta do it," Ben added, holding up his big brick orange hands. "An' it wasn't all that bad."

Sue laughed. She imagined the two of them and their respective dates sitting at a nice restaurant table having normal conversation. Sue smirked. At least, she tried to imagine it. She sat back, suddenly feeling tired. Rubbing her eyes, she started to get up when Johnny's voice stopped her.

"Sue? You ok?" her brother asked, moving a hand to her arm. Sue sat back down heavily. She began to nod and then stopped and shook her head instead. There was an irritated tinge to Johnny's voice when he next spoke. "Is it Reed again?"

"What'd Stretch do _this_ time?" Ben rumbled.

Sue stared into the concerned eyes of Ben and Johnny. Before she could stop herself, everything she had been previously worried about poured from her mouth. She told them about how Reed had been distant lately, about how he always forgot to have dinner with them, his obsession with his latest experiment, and so on. She almost felt ridiculous for the sudden wetness in her eyes.

When Sue had finally stopped speaking, she looked at Ben and Johnny, trying to decipher their expressions. Ben seemed contemplative while Johnny looked capable of walking into Reed's lab and saying something he might regret. Her brother got up, fists clenched at his sides. He began pushing his chair back his intent clear on his young features.

Sue immediately put her hand to his arm, halting his forward movement. Johnny's eyes met hers and Sue could see the irritation, underlined with just a hint of anger. "Johnny, stop. It's not worth it. It'll get better. Reed always does get carried away, doesn't he?"

Ben was silent across from them. Her brother's eyes went from frustrated anger to confusion as quickly as his body temperature changed. "But you were just—"

"I know," Sue said, chagrined by the betrayal of her mouth over her mind. She sighed. "I know." She sat down. "I just needed to vent, that's all."

Johnny sat down, still confused, some of the tension leaving his posture. Ben leaned forward, his large, rocky hand, placating her. "Reed's well… Reed. He says things and… y'know."

"Never means them?" Johnny added helpfully, the confusion clearing. He sat down and leaned back on his chair. Sue tipped it back to its original position. Ben glared at him in a 'you're not making it better' gesture.

"No, Torch Boy, it just means he makes things more complicated and sometimes just needs a push in the right direction." Ben turned his warm blue eyes on Sue. "It don't mean he don't love ya, Suzie." He smiled.

Sue appreciated Ben's words and Johnny's protectiveness, but there was a gray cloud hanging over her head, raining on her parade. It didn't look to be stopping anytime soon. Sue sighed for the umpteenth time that day. "I know," she whispered quietly.

Ben stood up after a moment and bade the siblings a good night. The silence he created left Sue alone with her thoughts. Maybe Ben was right. It wasn't the first time Reed had been preoccupied with his work and didn't pay attention to anything else around them. However, Sue wondered if he would always be the same. What would happen when they had children? Would he put science first then?

Sue was brought out of her reverie when Johnny stood up abruptly, the chair squeaking as he pushed it back. He yawned loudly and dramatically. Sue rolled her eyes and fought back a smile.

"Frankie and Alicia wear you out?" she asked mischievously.

Johnny's blue eyes lit up, twinkling. He winked his right eye at her as Sue stood up. Johnny looked at her through his eyelashes innocently.

"C'mon, Sue. We both know that women don't wear me out."

"Mhmm, sure." Sue smiled fully.

He pointed to himself and smirked. "I wear _them_ out."

Sue laughed, the sound echoing across the kitchen. Johnny openly grinned. They had always leaned on each other, even still.

"You wanna hang out tomorrow?" Johnny asked abruptly.

Sue paused, considering. "Aren't you seeing Frankie tomorrow?"

Johnny waved his hand absently. "Nah. I'll see her later."

Sue raised an eyebrow. "Besides, if I see her all the time, I _might_ get bored. Which means you'll never, _ever_ see me in any sort of long-term relationship, so…."

"Oh, seriously," Sue huffed, throwing her hands in the air.

"Alright then," Johnny said quickly before Sue could change her mind. He winked before walking out of the kitchen whistling some song she didn't know.

Sue stood up, taking in the kitchen. Some fresh air would do her some good, she realized. Turning off the kitchen lights, she made her way to the master bedroom and did her nightly rituals before getting underneath the covers.

Sue turned over to her left side and brushed her hand over the cold spot where Reed should've been. She cried herself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Reed woke up disgruntled. The first thing he noticed was that he was not in his lab anymore. He was on a bed. A nice, comfortable bed. He rolled over, not wanting to open his eyes against the sun trying to break through the curtains. He wondered vaguely when he had wandered from his lab to his bedroom.

Reed rolled over again, trying to get back into a comfortable position. He moved his hand over to where Sue was sleeping, but his hand only met a cold sheet. Frowning, Reed opened his eyes. He found it strange that Sue would be awake so early.

The ugly alarm clock next to his bed blurrily read: 4:00pm.

When his sleepy eyes adjusted and the room was no longer blurry, he realized something was wrong. When he finally realized what that something was, his eyes widened.

Reed Richards was in a medium sized bedroom. It was plain, pale blue, a little cluttered, and was most certainly not his. He turned his head, keeping calm. Some clothes hung out of the dresser, but there was nothing noting the room was used except for sleep.

"Sue?" Reed called. Only his voice echoed back to him. He nervously combed a hand through his hair. He bolted into a sitting position. What was going on? Reed didn't panic, he just started hypothesizing multiple ways his situation could have happened. His brain chose that second to abandon him.

"Sue?" Reed tried again. "Ben? Johnny?" He sighed. "Anybody?"

Reed pushed himself out of bed and made his way to the curtains, opening them. He was surprised at what greeted him. Reed was used to life in New York City, but the sight in front of him now made him sure he was no longer there. The bedroom he was currently in sat high above an empty street corner. There were no people bustling around trying to get to their jobs. No traffic jams greeted him, no loud noises annoyed him, no nothing. The entire street was just made up of worn down apartment buildings.

Strangely, Reed remembered coming here once. It was an isolated area right outside the city. This narrowed down some things for him. One: he was not in the Baxter Building, and two: something was completely and horribly wrong with that.

The next fifteen minutes were spent exploring the apartment he woke up in. There was an old looking kitchen, a small living room, and a makeshift lab which was right near his room. Well, it wasn't exactly _his_ room. For now, though, that is what he would call it.

When he went back to his room to get dressed, Reed barely glanced at himself in the mirror. That is, until he noticed something was definitely different. He looked at his reflection harder. Reed realized his hair from the sides was a lot grayer and there seemed to be more stress lines on his face. He had a strange hunch as to what might have been going on, but nothing had completely stabilized his theory.

He quickly changed into a button-up and pants, trying not to let his new image distract him. Grabbing nothing personal except for a wallet and phone, Reed left the apartment.

Reed paused outside the door. There was a fresh newspaper laying at his feet, waiting to be opened. "Maybe this will explain a few things," he murmured. Like why he didn't wake up in his own room and his family was missing.

He picked up the newspaper and unfolded it, immediately skimming the first page for anything useful. Reed's eyes narrowed when his eyes caught the heading taking up most of the front page. In large, bold letters read: **Von Doom Industries and NASA Strike a Deal**.

"Von Doom Industries?" Reed muttered quietly. He had thought, no he was_ sure_, that Viktor Von Doom's company no longer existed. Underneath the headline there was a picture of the building which was Von Doom tower, with the statue of Viktor Reed remembered seeing two years ago.

_It can't be possible_, Reed thought. _Can it?_ Too astounded to bother to read the article, he skimmed the entire page, his eyes finally landing on the date of the newspaper. There was obviously a typo, Reed was sure of it. No one had yet ventured into anything so extreme. At least, he didn't know anyone who had. When he went to sleep last night, it had been August 15, 2007.

In small, bold letters, there it was: **March 15, 2020**.

**4444**

It took exactly two minutes and ten seconds to make it outside. It took another fifteen minutes just to find a cab, and another twenty five minutes and thirty five seconds to make into New York City and to the Von Doom Tower.

The date had finally snapped Reed into reality. At least, it snapped him into _this_ reality. Whatever reality it was, he had figured out one more thing. If Reed was in the future, then he had to somehow have gotten there. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep in his lab while the new experimental machine whirred in the background. Reed had narrowed down that it was somehow his machine that had sent him here. How or why, however, he still was not sure.

While waiting on a cab, he realized there was a cell phone in his pocket. Reed whipped it out immediately, realizing it looked different, and then deciding it didn't matter. He quickly dialed the number he knew as Sue's first. When a woman named Angela's voicemail picked up, he hung up.

With hope, he dialed Ben's number. When a man who was not Ben picked up, Reed hung up the phone without answering. One last try had him dialing Johnny's number with new desperation. A machine's voice picked up telling him the number's been disconnected.

The one thing he was sure about was that he needed answers. If that meant braving going to Viktor Von Doom to do it, then so be it.

When the cab finally dropped him off in front of his destination, Reed didn't think he could go in. He was too busy staring blankly up at the building when the cab driver called out to him.

"Hey, Mista, you gonna pay, or what?" the grouchy cabbie asked.

"What? Oh yeah, of course. Sorry." Reed whipped out his wallet and handed him a twenty dollar bill. "Keep the change."

Without turning to look back at the driver, Reed walked toward the building. The traffic and random noise behind him seemed to get louder as he looked at Viktor's statue as though he were reliving something. It really looked the same for the most part. It was just… older.

Taking a deep breath, Reed walked past the statue and through the doors of Von Doom Industries. If he didn't think he was in a different time, he certainly believed it now.

The atrium of the building looked a lot more… enormous than he remembered. There was a large front desk sitting in the middle with a large building information board behind it. There were people in business attire going past him, and Reed thought stupidly that he would somehow see Viktor walking around somewhere.

Reed walked up to the information desk, trying his best not to seem desperate. The receptionist was on the phone, her eyebrows creased in concentration. Reed cleared his throat, trying to get her attention. She spared an annoyed glance at him before returning to speaking to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

When the receptionist was finished, she pulled up her glasses and gave Reed her full attention. "I'm sorry about that, Sir. How may I help you?"

"I was hoping I could get in to see Viktor Von Doom."

A blank expression crossed her face. She blinked a few times but quickly recovered, however, and gave Reed a look which suggested he was being slow.

"Sir, I think you may be confused. Would you like me to call you a cab home?"

Reed raised his eyebrows and then narrowed his eyes. "No, I'm pretty sure I'm not confused. I just wanted to meet with him. It won't take long. I just have a few questions. My name is Reed Richards. We're actually, uh… old friends. "

More like old enemies, but Reed was not about to indulge her.

"Reed Richards?" she questioned stupidly. She looked confused now.

The receptionist finally leaned forward as though she didn't want anyone to know a secret she was about to disclose.

"Mr. Richards, I don't," she paused, her brown hair bobbing, "I don't think you understand."

"Well then help me understand." Reed's patience was growing very thin. "I wanna know why. I Can't. See. Viktor. Von. Doom."

At that point, multiple people began staring at Reed, shocked. Then, their expression turned into sympathetic ones. The receptionist inched back a little, but kept her composure.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but seeing Mr. Von Doom just isn't possible."

"Why not? Is he not here?"

"No, Sir, he's not," the receptionist explained. She gulped before leaning forward again. "Mr. Von Doom is… dead. I'm sorry, Sir."

Reed blanched. "Dead?" he asked, still not sure his ears had heard anything properly. The receptionist nodded gravely. "What… when did this happen?"

The receptionist looked sympathetically with an underlying shock suggesting he should have already know. Reed didn't care. He just needed answers.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but Mr. Von Doom's been dead for eleven years."

Reed's eyes widened. "_What?_"

"I'm really sorry, Sir. Car accident in Latveria."

He remained silent, honestly not knowing what to say or if there was something that could be said. Viktor Von Doom was dead. Even though it had been a natural cause, Reed could not help but realize the irony. Reed breathed in deeply.

"Is there someone else in charge I can speak to?" Reed asked, tapping his fingers on the desk. "It's important."

"Of course." The receptionist smiled, looking relieved he didn't cause a scene. "I'll call Mrs. Von Doom right now." She picked up the phone and dialed quickly, not taking her eyes from Reed.

Reed raised his eyebrows. _Mrs. Von Doom?_, he thought. So Viktor had been married and what, his wife was running the company now?

"No, Ma'am. I realize you're busy… but… yes. No, he seems a bit confused." Reed narrowed his eyes. "Mhmm. No. He says his name is Reed Richards, Ma'am." There was long pause. "Ok, I'll send him right up." She hung up the phone briskly. Reed found himself wishing he had heard what the other woman had said.

"She says she has some free time, so she'll see you now," the receptionist confirmed. "Her office is on the last floor at the end of the hall."

"Thank you." She nodded, immediately getting back to her work. Reed began walking to the elevator trying desperately to process the information he had been given so far.

Viktor was dead. He was in the year 2020 and a Mrs. Von Doom was running Viktor's company. Reed sighed. The wife had probably killed him herself for the money. The trip in the elevator felt like it took ages. Reed began to wonder why he was stuck in the world that was a… completely different future from what he thought it would have been.

When the elevator doors opened to the last floor, he realized it was a lot quieter than it had been down in the atrium. Glancing to his left, Reed spotted another desk, this one probably the secretary to the CEO. He approached cautiously. The office was the same one Viktor had occupied. He recalled it from his time before their experimental space trip had changed his life. Probably for the better.

The thought crossing his mind, he never stopped to see whether his powers worked in this place. His theory was that they probably did not, but he would try later on. At the moment he had more pressing issues to handle.

When Reed was within feet of the secretary's desk, he looked up. The man's eyes seemed to be sizing him up as though he could very well be a threat. Reed wanted to laugh but thought it inappropriate if he did.

Instead, he just gave a friendly smile.

"May I help you, Sir?" the secretary, whose name plate read Carl Fields, asked suspiciously.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, actually. My name is Reed Richards. Mrs. Von Doom is expecting me." It still sounded weird saying the Mrs. part.

The man, Carl, raised an eyebrow and picked up his phone. "Ok, have a seat."

Reed eyed the chairs next to the desk but decided he'd rather stay standing. He was nervous all of a sudden. With Viktor he usually knew what to expect. With his misses, he had no clue what he was in store for.

The phone conversation was not long. The wait wasn't, either. Reed was surprised by that. Curious, even. He didn't even have an appointment with the woman.

However, any luck Reed thought he had when Carl escorted him through the large oak doors disappeared as he laid his eyes upon Viktor's widow.

"Sue?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**See first chapter.

**Author's Note:**My sincere apologies for not updating sooner. Honestly, life completely got in the way… college, exams… but enough excuses, I am truly sorry. For those even wondering, my pet peeve is unfinished stories, so this one will get finished, I promise. You're gonna have to be a little patient with me though.

Anywho, I hope you read and enjoy this chapter. Any feedback about my writing, the story, or to just tell me to update sooner are all greatly appreciated!

_____________________________

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**___________________**

**Chapter 4**

Sue had been talking to a tall bald man in a light beige suit. The man barely glanced in Reed's direction before smirking at Sue, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek, and disappearing through another door looking like he was late for something.

Carl closed the doors as he went back to his desk.

Reed remembered his earlier shock. "Sue? _You're_ Mrs. Von Doom?"

Sue raised an eyebrow and smiled. It didn't reach her eyes. "Funny. You look shocked."

"Shocked wouldn't even begin to describe…"

"Why are you here, Reed?" Sue asked with a sharp tone. She had her blonde hair pulled back, most of it cascading down her shoulders. Dressed in a white top underneath a black blazer, professional and down to business were the words Reed used to describe her.

Sue even looked older. Her hair was still blonde, but there were a couple strands of gray sprinkled here and there. Her eyes looked as though it'd seen a lot of things over the years. They betrayed the youngness of her face. Even her posture was guarded, as though she was wary of everything around her. She just seemed… tired.

"Why am I here?" Reed repeated.

Sue's eyes narrowed. "Yes, why are you here?" She placed her hands on the table in front of her. "I mean, it has been awhile. I was surprised to hear my receptionist mention you were here."

Reed swallowed her words, letting them sink in. "You married Viktor?"

Sue raised an eyebrow again, apparently finding humor in his surprise. Her lips raised into a humorless smile. "Yes. And it was even on the cover of the _New York Times_. I figured you would've picked up a copy."

"Well, I…." Reed started and then seemed to think about what he was going to say. Would Sue believe his story? "I haven't exactly been keeping up with everything as I should have apparently."

"You never really did, did you?" Sue quirked the side of her mouth into a half smile. "Let me guess. You were wrapped up in another experiment."

"Yes, actually." Reed decided telling her how he got to be in his current situation would not be an option. Strangely, the conversation reminded him of another one he'd had – was it really only yesterday? – with Sue. The Sue that was his wife, at least.

Sue shook her head. "Some things never change, do they?"

Reed almost smiled. "I guess some things don't."

"Anyway, my marriage to Viktor isn't important." Sue waved her hand dismissively. "That was over fifteen years ago. So again… why are you here?"

"I, uh, can't remember anything about my life," Reed explained. He felt bad about lying. But, the Fantastic Four did not exist in this universe, so why would she believe a crazy story about time travel. He couldn't even fathom it himself.

Sue's hard eyes turned into concerned ones. "Are you ok? Did you hit your head?"

"Something like that." Reed leaned forward. Sue pulled back. "Anyway, I was hoping you could help me get reacquainted with my life."

Sue shook her head. "That's not possible."

Reed was confused. He was also really sick of people telling him that. "Why not?"

"Reed, I haven't seen or heard from you in over fifteen years," Sue said.

"What?"

"Yeah. After the successful space mission, you got what you wanted, Viktor got what he wanted, and we all went our separate ways. At least, you went your own way. We all never saw you again. Absorbed in your work and all." She sounded bitter, but Reed wanted to gain any piece of information he could get.

"I don't… we never got back together?" Sue shook her head, her eyebrows knit together. "So, there was no radiation accident?"

Sue paled. "No, there wasn't." She paused, considering. "Why would there have been?"

"Sue, you remember that space storm. It hi – I mean it could've hit us."

"Don't be ridiculous, Reed. That storm was hours away. There was never anything to worry about. You said so yourself."

Reed sat up straight. "Yeah, I guess I did." The memory of being on that shuttle and walking in on Viktor and Sue right after he realized they needed to abort came back to him. _That's probably where he asked her to marry him_, Reed realized.

He couldn't help a surge of jealousy at the thought. Sue looked at him strangely, maybe wanting to say something, but the words never left her mouth. He calmed himself down, thinking he had to get more answers. After all, if this was another time, he needed to find a way back to his own.

"Right. So, I'm sorry, but I can't really help you with your whole selective amnesia thing," Sue commented, breaking the silence. She seemed uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I guess not." Reed was disappointed. "So, we never even stayed friends or anything afterwards?"

"No." Sue fiddled with her wedding and engagement rings. "You took off soon after. Viktor and I got married. And… that was that, I guess."

Reed suddenly remembered something. "Sue? I'm really sorry about Viktor. I know I'm a little late and all…"

Sue looked away. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Reed." She made eye contact with him, her blue eyes piercing. "Besides, it was a long time ago." She mustered a smile.

There was another silence as they both looked anxiously around the office.

"Hey, Sue?"

"Yeah?"

"What about Ben? What's he been up to?"

Sue furrowed her eyebrows, glancing long and hard at him, as though he'd grown another head. "You really don't remember?"

"No, I don't."

Sue bit her lip. "Reed, I don't think you should've come here. I think you should go see a doctor. This could be serious."

"No!" Reed bolted out of his chair. "I don't need a doctor, Sue. It's just temporary. Really. I'll find a way to fix it, I promise."

"You're sure?" Sue asked, sounding doubtful.

"Yes," Reed assured. _If it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna find a way out of this reality and into my own_.

"Ok, well, it was great seeing you again, Reed." Sue stood up, brushing down her coat sleeves. "I have to be somewhere, though, so if you'll excuse me."

"Right. Of course," Reed said, but didn't make a move to leave. "What's happened to you, Sue?" he breathed before his brain could register what was going on.

She looked startled. "What?"

"What's happened to you?" he repeated, stretching his hand out towards her. She pulled her hand back, tucking it into her pants pocket.

"Life's happened, Reed," Sue breathed. She was looking at a framed photograph on her desk, her eyes far away.

"Oh," was all he could muster. The woman in front of him was not the same woman he had married. She was harder, somehow. Almost curt. However, he had to find a way to stay because he had found who he was looking for inadvertently. He wasn't about to let her go now. After all, just because it was a different reality, Sue was still Sue deep down. "Are you free for dinner tonight?"

"Excuse me?" Sue's startled eyes found his.

"Dinner. Tonight?" Reed asked again, a glimmer of hope finding its way through the conversation.

Sue smiled tightly. "I'm sorry, Reed. As much as I want to catch up on old times, I have a prior engagement."

One of Sue's assistants stuck her head into the room, glancing at Reed quickly. "Mrs. Von Doom? Your car is waiting." Reed blinked. Hearing someone address Sue with her new last name was taking some getting used to.

Sue closed the folder on her desk and stood. "Thanks, Karen. I'll be right there."

The young woman, Karen, nodded and the door clicked shut behind her. "Reed, in all honesty, it was… nice. Seeing you today. You shouldn't wait another fifteen years to come by."

"I won't, trust me." Reed bore his eyes into hers, causing her to look away.

Sue cleared her throat and straightened. "Anyway, I really have to go."

"Yeah, of course," Reed agreed. "Meeting?" He asked curiously, trying to prolong the moment.

"What? Oh, uh, no. Celebratory party at Josephine's." Sue was gathering her things and not looking at him.

"Celebrating what?" Reed was treating the interrogation like he would a science experiment.

Sue smiled. A true and genuine smile. "Life." She shrugged. "Just life."

Reed grinned. She had finally smiled at him. He felt as though he had accomplished something just then.

She walked to the door but looked back, eyeing him. "I'll get Carl to show you out."

"Thanks, but I'll manage."

"Right." She paused, opening the door. "Bye, Reed."

"Bye, Sue." She closed the door behind her swiftly. "For now."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:**I mean no harm to the world of the Fantastic Four. I'm just borrowing.

**Author's Note:** My muse is somewhat back and so is my internet, apparently. A big thank you to those of you who are still reading and a bigger one to those who leave reviews! They are always appreciated! They help my muse out, too! This is chapter 5… for those who are bothering to read, please enjoy! Feedback is always welcome!!

**_____________________________**

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**_______________________**

**Chapter 5**

Sue arrived at the restaurant feeling a bit nostalgic. The last thing she had expected this morning was to see Reed Richards again. It had brought back bitter and more complicated feelings she wasn't going to admit to out loud.

"We're here, Mrs. Von Doom," the chauffer announced, the car coming to a stop. One of the valets at the restaurant opened the door for her and smiled.

"Thank you, Charlie." Sue took the hand offered to her by the young valet.

The chauffer, Charlie, turned slightly in his seat. "Give me a call when you're finished."

Sue smiled at him, told him she would do just that, and exited the car. Passing through the entrance and spotting her family, she wondered vaguely how anyone could forget their life. There was something he was hiding, but she couldn't put her finger on it yet.

"Mom!" A couple of eleven year old arms smothered her in a hug. Sue laughed and stroked her son's back.

"C'mon, kiddo, your mom just got here," Johnny interjected, smiling apologetically. "Let's sit down and order already, I'm starving."

Sue pulled back and looked at the blond head of her son. "Don't listen to your uncle, Spencer. How was your day at school?"

Spencer let go of his mother and sat down next to his older sister, Victoria. He made a disgusted face. "It was boring."

Sue raised her eyebrows, Johnny stifled a laugh, and Victoria just rolled her eyes. "Didn't anything happen?" Sue asked.

Spencer shrugged and looked like he was thinking hard. "No," he finally answered. Sue seemed to accept the answer and turned to her eldest child. Victoria held up her hand before her mother could get a word in. "School was boring for me too." At Sue's disapproving look, she explained,  
"It always is, Mom. That's freshman year for you."

"Well, I'll just stop asking the question then." Sue sat down next to Johnny and picked up the menu.

"I wish you would," Johnny said. "It would at least make _me_ feel better. Let's eat."

Sue rolled her eyes and pondered over her menu. It was a celebration party for Johnny after all. When everyone had ordered and the menus collected, she placed her hands on the table and fiddle with them.

"What's up, Sue?" Johnny questioned, his blue eyes meeting hers in concern.

"Nothing, not really." Sue waved her hand dismissively. Johnny gave her his _I don't believe you look_. "Ok, fine. It's just that, uh, Reed Richards stopped by today."

Johnny practically choked on the water he was trying to swallow. Her kids just stared at her blankly. "Reed Richards? As in, the ex-boyfriend 'let's go into space and afterwards never hear from again', Reed Richards?"

"The same one." Sue grimaced. Johnny's eyes were wide and got wider as something snapped into place.

"That's who was in your office this morning? The strange guy?" Sue nodded. Johnny leaned back, crossing his arms. "Wow."

"Wow?" Sue repeated, surprised. "That's all you have to say, 'wow'?"

Johnny shrugged. "Well, whaddya want me to say? It was fifteen years ago, Sue. The guy's probably married with kids now."

Sue snorted but quickly covered it with a cough into her napkin. Victoria leaned forward as though she were sharing a secret. "You never told us about this guy, Mom."

"Yes, well, there's a good reason I didn't either and… Oh my God, Johnny, he's here." Johnny stared at her, uncrossed his arms and looked around. Sue was suddenly embarrassed at her incapability to form a coherent sentence. Shouldn't she be angry with Reed? Well, there was the whole losing his memory part, but what did he want? Her sympathy?

Sue swatted at Johnny's arm and nodded to the right. It was at that moment Reed decided to do some glancing around himself. When he spotted her, Sue wanted very much to crawl under the table and avoid him. However, she lowered her napkin and straightened. After all these years, she would not let Reed Richards get to her anymore.

"Sue?" Reed asked, tilting his head and moving toward them.

"Reed, what're you doing here?" Sue firmly made eye contact with her standing ex.

"I haven't eaten yet and this was the closest place, I guess," Reed answered swiftly.

"Right, completely ignoring the fact that you knew I was coming here," Sue retorted. "Fifteen years and you wanna stalk me now?"

Reed raised his eyebrows, his smile almost smug, but kind at the same time. Sue still didn't know how he could manage to get under her skin so quickly and after so long.

Victoria cleared her throat then, shifting the attention onto her. "Aren't you gonna introduce us, Mom?"

She thought she heard Reed mutter, "Mom?" under his breath, but couldn't be sure. "Oh, yeah, of course, sweetie. Reed these are my children, Victoria and Spencer. Kids, this is Reed Richards, an old… friend."

Victoria had a knowing smile on her face, but didn't say anything. She just extended her hand and waited for Reed to shake it. He did. Firmly.

"It's nice to meet you, Victoria." Reed smiled uneasily. He nodded at her son. "Spencer."

Spencer opened his mouth quickly. "Mom, I thought this was your old boyfriend."

Sue closed her eyes and sighed. She shook her head at her son. He clamped his mouth shut and his sister nudged him quietly. Reed smiled and looked past her at Johnny. His smile faltered, but he raised his hand in greeting anyway.

"You must be Sue's husband. It's nice to meet you."

Johnny raised an eyebrow, bit his lip and stared at Sue. Then, he burst into laughter, followed more quietly by his niece and nephew.

"God, Reed, you really are getting old," Johnny said around a few dying chuckles. "Husband, huh? Funny. At least your sense of humor's getting better."

Reed lowered his hand and stared hard at her now bald brother. His eyes widened in realization and looked embarrassed.

"Johnny?" He recognized him as the man Sue had been talking to when he'd first walked into her office.

"That's me. With a new look. I know, it throws people off, but what can you do, eh? It still charms the ladies." Johnny laughed. "Hey, why don't you have a seat. Join us. I'm sure Sue won't mind, right, sis?"

"Johnny, I think Reed has better things to do than—" Sue interjected.

"I'd love to, thanks." Reed sat down and continued staring openly at her brother. It seemed Johnny didn't care. He just sipped his drink and smiled. He was used to it, she supposed. It was three years ago that the chemotherapy had blessedly ended. After the accident though, the doctors had informed Johnny he'd never be able to grow any of his hair back. That, unfortunately at the time, had been the least of their worries.

Sue rubbed her hands against her temples. When she tuned herself back into the conversation, Reed and Johnny were talking.

"And I've been rediscovering New York City all over again," Reed explained. Apparently Johnny had evaded the loaded question about his lack of hair. Sue knew Reed was going to ask soon enough though.

"So you can't remember a thing?" Johnny pondered. "What happened? One of your machines zap you or something?"

Reed laughed, but looked as though something had clicked in his mind. "That might be exactly it, actually." Sue remembered that smile. Reed's smile of triumph. "Who knows?" he added.

They continued that way throughout the rest of lunch, talking back and forth. The kids asked a few questions about how their mom and uncle had been back in the day. Reed had laughed and described Sue as a strong woman who knew what she wanted out of life. He had given her a significant look, which she had ignored.

After everyone was done with their meals Reed cleared his throat.

"Thanks for this." Reed gestured to their empty plates. "But now I have to get a head start on finding my apartment."

Sue was surprised. "You can't remember where you live?" Johnny raised an eyebrow. Reed shook his head somberly. She and her brother glanced at each other quickly, exchanging a silent conversation.

"He can stay with us," Spencer piped up. Victoria nudged him in the side and sent him a warning glare.

"No, I definitely wouldn't want to impose," Reed replied. "I'm sure there's a housing directory in the library or something."

Sue sighed and felt her heart constrict at Reed's helplessness. "Don't be ridiculous, Reed. You're welcome to stay with us as long as it takes to get you resettled."

"Sue, it's ok, I wouldn't—"

Sue smiled tightly. "Reed, I'm offering."

Johnny smiled coyly. He ribbed Reed with his elbow. "I think you should do what my sister says. Or have you forgotten what her irritation looks like?"

Sue glared at her brother. Reed looked stricken and conceded to stay with them, but only as soon as he'd found his bearings.

Johnny grabbed Spencer's hand, ushering him and Victoria through the exit to the restaurant. It left a silent Reed and an exasperated Sue to follow after them. She couldn't help thinking, as they all piled into the black town car that Reed coming back into her life had set something off inside of her. Bitterness, happiness, or both, she wasn't sure.

Just when she thought life would stop throwing her surprises, the surprise, she was quickly coming to realize, was life itself.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note:**__ No worries, I'm still here. Aliens didn't abduct me or anything. I'm sorry it took so long to update. I've been writing the next chapter and working and I've finally gotten time to breathe. To those who care, thanks for your patience. _

_Also, on a more serious note: I hope you all enjoy, and should you choose to review (which I hope you do!) please do not bad mouth the story, other authors for their opinions, or anything else. It is rude, and will be deleted. It's unfortunate that I'm writing this, but I ask kindly to please keep things civil._

_Thank you. _

**__________________________**

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**___________________**

**Chapter 6**

When they arrived at Sue's apartment penthouse, Reed was still waiting for the Baxter Building to materialize in front of him. Surprisingly, Sue and her family didn't live that far from his home.

Which didn't belong to him anymore. Not in this reality, at least.

The foyer was beautiful, floors made of marble and a chandelier hanging above. It opened into the apartment's various other rooms and Reed followed the small hall into the living area. He was still trying to grasp everything that had happened to him in the last few hours. Maybe Johnny had guessed right about his machine malfunctioning.

Reed had spent the rest of the afternoon getting acquainted with the apartment and trying to think of as many ways his machine could've done this as possible. They had eaten pizza for dinner, Victoria, more than Spencer, intrigued about the younger versions of her mom and uncle. Though sometimes it felt like the teenager was waiting for some gossip. She was perceptive.

He was on his way to the living room, Sue's kids having already gone to bed on a school night.

"Reed, you're welcome here and all, but get outta the way." Johnny was behind him, a grin on a face that seemed a lot older than what he recognized. Yet, it was very much the same Johnny Storm he'd always known. Reed moved out of the way and, finding the nearest couch, sat down.

"Really, thanks for letting me stay here." Reed was grateful. Sue could have arrested him for following her. He almost laughed at the thought. It was what he'd been trying to do—follow her. the only fault in the plan was that he got caught.

Johnny waved a hand in the air. "Will you stop mentioning it. Just kick back and relax. Life is what it is. Besides, I'm sure you're a lot stress free not remembering and all."

"No actually," Reed responded. "I feel as if I've been dropped in some reality I don't even know." It was the truth, after all.

Johnny leaned forward and clasped his hands together, the light above glinting off of his head. Reed couldn't help but look at it. He didn't buy Johnny's story of wanting a new look. His brother-in-law's hair had always been a part of his packaged charm when it came to women.

"I get whatcha mean," Johnny said, bringing Reed out of his reverie. "If someone'd told me this would be my life fifteen years ago, I probably wouldna believed 'em."

He got up slowly and stretched out his limbs. "Well, I'm out for tonight. G'night, Reed."

Reed's eyes widened in surprise. "You're going to sleep? Now?"

Johnny laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, well, I'm way past my curfew," he said sarcastically.

Reed was confused. "Johnny, it's only ten o'clock. Don't you usually go out?"

He raised an eyebrow at the older man and Reed suddenly felt stupid. "Nah. Not anymore. I've got work tomorrow anyway." He smiled and walked out of the room. Reed wondered if Johnny had changed a little more than he thought.

He leaned back in his seat and stared up at the ceiling. He heard Johnny bid a good night to his sister as she made her own way into the living room. Reed brought his head down and looked at Sue. She was wearing a white robe and not looking at him as she sat down across from his seat.

"Did you settle into your room ok?" Sue finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, everything was fine, thanks." Reed smiled, leaning forward. "You've got two great kids."

Sue smiled widely, her eyes lighting up. "Thank you." A beat. "So, you gonna tell me what's really going on?"

Reed looked at her skeptically at that. "What're you talking about?"

"Reed, my family may have believed your little lie about losing your memory, but you're not fooling me." Sue crossed her arms and eyed him warily. "Now, really. What's going on?"

Reed opened his mouth to say something, anything, but a gruff, deep voice interrupted him.

"Suzie, I got a loada crap here called luggage an' I'll just leave it here 'til mornin'."

Reed stood up as fast as if someone had scalded him. He knew who that voice belonged to before Ben Grimm even walked through the entrance. His friend was just as he remembered him from before the accident in space. Stocky and bald, he dumped a bag he was holding on the floor as he wrapped Sue in a hug.

"Hey, Ben, how was your trip?" Sue asked kindly.

"Ya know, the usual. How's everything here?" Ben asked, glancing up and making brief eye contact with Reed before he stepped back and away from Sue. "Reed?"

"Yeah," Reed breathed. "How are you, Ben?"

"'M fine, I guess." Ben's confused eyes found Sue's and then headed back to Reed's. "What—what're you doing here?"

"It's a long story," Reed explained. "Let's just say I was in the neighborhood."

"Oh." Ben moved forward and narrowed his eyes. Quickly, he patted Reed's shoulder fondly. "It's good ta see ya, Egghead."

Reed smiled, heaving a sigh of relief. They sat down and made small talk until Sue excused herself to go to bed, but not before promising Reed a chance to shadow her at work tomorrow. Ben dredged up some old memories of their college days while Reed laughed and shook his head.

"So, what've you been up to, Ben?" Reed asked, leaning forward and clasping his hands together.

"Ya know." Ben gestured with a wave of his hand. "I started workin' with Suzie and the kid a few years back. I'm co-director of the rocket engineering department."

Reed raised an eyebrow. "Co?"

"Yeah." Ben shrugged sheepishly. "It's me an' Tinkerbell. We don't make a bad team, I wager. Course, he likes ta think of himself as lead captain, but it's all for show nowadays."

Reed was surprised. Fate had apparently led Ben back to work with Johnny and Sue. A team. A family. He didn't know why he felt just a little envious at missing out on all that had happened. It wasn't like he was a part of this reality, anyway. Still, his absence, while unknown to him, weighed heavily.

"You ever get hitched?" Ben asked gruffly, looking amused.

Reed stared longingly in the direction of Sue's bedroom and frowned. "No. You?" He was starting to wonder how different this world was from his own. He was half expecting Ben to mutter Alicia's name, but his look darkened instead.

"Yeah. Though I wish I hadn't. Didn't really get anything outta the deal."

"Yeah?" Reed was intrigued. Ben sounded pissed off and hurt at the same time.

"You remember Debbie?" Reed nodded. How could he forget? She was all Ben talked about other than getting he and Sue back together. Until the space accident. Then, he didn't want to talk about her at all. "Well, we got married. Things got a bit rough financially a coupla years afterwards. She grew impatient, I got annoyed. Well… let's just say I didn't know her as well as I thought."

Reed cringed. "What happened?" he asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it anyway.

Ben shrugged nonchalantly. "We got divorced. She took off not long afterwards."

"Ben, I'm so sorry," Reed said sincerely. He had thought if this reality didn't have Ben turning into a large orange rock, things would have turned out okay between he and Debbie. He had thought wrong. "I had hoped things would've worked out between you two."

Ben shrugged again, rubbing his face. "Things happen, Reed. I'm just glad we weren't pinned down by kids or anything."

Reed nodded in agreement. "Yeah." He knew it would've made things more complicated.

Reed looked at Ben. Really looked. His friend looked older than his years and fatigue, sorrow, and an underlying sense of stress plagued his eyes. But the blue in his eyes still had a slight spark, for which Reed was grateful.

"So… uh, you gonna be stickin' 'round this time?" Ben's eyebrows were raised, but there was a serious note underlying his voice.

Reed nodded, but couldn't find his voice. Ben stood up, a smile lighting up his features. "Good. It'll be nice to have an Egghead around again anyway." He patted Reed on the back. "Balances things out with Twinkle Toes."

"I still can't believe you two work together." Reed shook his head, amused.

Ben just shrugged, his mouth twisted up into a half smile. "It really ain't so bad." He paused dramatically and stood up. "Most days." Ben stretched his arms up and behind him, rolling his neck before reaching out a hand towards his friend.

Reed took the offered hand without hesitation and stood. They walked in silence back to their respective rooms. When Reed was lying in bed, listening to the silence of the house, he couldn't help but wonder what the Sue of his world was doing, or if his family had even missed him yet.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** _Hi everyone! I didn't get to respond to anyone's reviews this time around, but I've been on vacation and school's started again, so I apologize. But a BIG thank you goes to penny3 and Kitty for always taking the time out to review. I'm always appreciative of that. So, again, thank you! This was my favorite chapter to write as it finally gets into the thick of things. So I hope you all enjoy and take a chance to tell me what you think. They mean more than you know! _

_Anyway, on with the chapter!_

**_______________________________**

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**_______________________**

**Chapter 7**

Sue woke to the sound of her alarm clock. It was too early, and yet it wasn't. She rolled over and clicked the stupid sounding alarm off. Turning onto her back, Sue stared up at the ceiling in contemplation. She had been taking Reed to work with her for the past week. If there was anything stranger than that, she didn't know what was.

He had offered to pay rent while staying with Sue and her family, but she wouldn't hear any of it. In all honesty, Sue had to admit she was getting used to having Reed around. It was something she would only admit to herself. Reed worked hard and as of yesterday, he was officially on her payroll and asking about certain gadgets and materials.

Sue had asked what he needed them for, but Reed just shrugged didn't elaborate.

Slowly, she got out of bed and grabbed her bathrobe, putting it around herself. Sue made it to the kitchen only to find Johnny already sitting at the kitchen table nursing a cup of coffee.

"Johnny? What're you doing up so early?" Sue asked, going over to the coffee machine and pouring herself some of the hot black liquid.

Johnny pulled up his head wearily and squinted at Sue, as though just noticing her. He quickly recovered with a bright smile. "The coffee called to me." He sipped the hot liquid.

Sue raised her eyebrows and gave Johnny a pointed look. Her brother rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Fine, I couldn't sleep, alright? Happy?"

Sue sat down next to him. "No." She felt his forehead. Johnny pulled away from her hand with a huff. "You sure it was nothing else?"

Johnny half smiled and shrugged. "Nothing a coupla Tylenol couldn't cure."

Sue didn't push. If something was more wrong than it should have been, Johnny would have told her. She decided to change the subject. "You and Ben testing the reinstalled shuttle today?"

Johnny perked up. "No, there're still a couple of things we need to put in first. Don't want the same kind of screw-up to happen again."

Sue shuddered and closed her eyes. "Well, whenever you're done, tell me."

"Ya know, I almost forgot you're Ms. Boss," Johnny teased. Sue raised her eyebrow. "I said, 'almost'."

From somewhere in the back of the apartment, Sue heard the clatter of noise Victoria and Spencer usually made when they were getting ready for school. There were doors closing, the sound of running water, and two pairs of footsteps before the two showed up in the kitchen completely dressed and only three quarters awake.

"Mom, what's for breakfast?" Victoria asked, going to the refrigerator, opening it and poking her head in. Spencer rubbed his eyes and sat down next to his uncle. Johnny ruffled the boy's hair.

"Good morning to you, too." Sue stood up and came around the counter and joined her daughter at the refrigerator, easily bypassing her and scrambling for the eggs. She pulled out four, knowing her brother probably wasn't up to eating much, and closed the refrigerator door. She barely managed to miss Victoria's head.

"Scrambled or sunny-side-up?" Sue asked, pulling out a pan from one of the cabinets.

"Eggs?" Victoria wrinkled her nose, still eyeing the contents of the refrigerator. "There isn't anything else? Like bagels or something?"

"Uh-uh, you've been having bagels the past three days," Sue stated, waving the pan at her daughter. Victoria pouted before grabbing two clean cups from the cupboard.

"So?"

"So, you need a little diversity in your diet. One bagel is four servings of bread."

"C'mon, Suze, who died and made you a dietician?"

Sue ignored Johnny and looked at her son. "Spencer?"

"Scrambled," came the muffled reply. The young blond head was resting on his arms. Johnny poked at him.

"Too early in the mornin' for ya, Kiddo?" Johnny nudged him again. Spencer shook him off grumpily, but lifted his head. Her youngest instead propped it up with his elbow and pulled the orange juice Sue had placed in front of him towards him.

"So, scrambled for you," Sue said, pointing at her son and then turned back to Victoria with a raised eyebrow.

"I really wanted a bagel," Victoria whined, pouring orange juice into her own cup.

"And sunny-side-up for you," Sue answered herself cheerfully.

Johnny made a sympathetic face at Victoria as she sat down on his other side. "'S not so bad, Toria."

Sue nodded. "Besides, we're out of bagels."

Johnny grinned while her kids grumbled under their breaths. She honestly didn't understand why no one liked the mornings. They were her favorite part of the day. A fresh start to the journey that was her life. She finished preparing breakfast for her children and sat down at the table with them.

Spencer had perked up at the smell of his eggs and Victoria picked at her food, but still ate it. Sue wondered vaguely about why Reed was not up yet when she heard the sound of the shower.

"Is Reed coming with us again today?" Spencer piped up, his mouth half full with eggs.

"No," Sue answered. "It's my day off and so Reed'll have nothing to do, either. And don't talk with your mouth full."

Spencer smiled, his mouth still full. "Uncle Johnny says that if I put it to the side no one will see it and I can still talk."

Sue gave Johnny a look and he had the decency to look sheepish… for about two seconds, before he grinned broadly. "What? It's true. You always said I should multi-task, so I figured I'd spare Spence your lecture and tell him myself."

Spencer grinned, a couple of egg pieces stuck in his teeth. Johnny looked annoyingly proud. Victoria bit her lip and Sue just shook her head and sighed. "You're impossible."

Johnny winked at her and sipped some more of his coffee before making a face and putting it down after it got too cold. Sue was trying to think of things she could do and finish today while everyone was at work and school. Maybe she and Reed could go looking for his apartment. He conveniently claimed he couldn't remember where that was either.

"G'morning, Mr. Richards," Spencer greeted, having finally swallowed all of his food.

Sue looked up quickly, noticing Reed leaning against the kitchen's entryway, watching. She felt her face turn red. Sue had been so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't even heard him get up.

She quickly narrowed her eyes. How long had he been standing there anyway?

Reed shuffled into the kitchen, his eyes going from one family member to the other, searching for something Sue wasn't sure was there or if it could be found. Reed sat down and cleared his throat. "Um, good morning everyone." He turned to Spencer. "And please, Spencer, call me Reed."

Spencer nodded wordlessly and turned to his mother. "Mom?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Aren't you gonna ask what Mr., um, Reed, wants for breakfast?"

Johnny snorted softly. Victoria slapped her brother on the head softly. Spencer glared at her and muttered a "What'd I do?"

Sue wanted to roll her eyes and chastise her children, but she didn't really have the energy to do so at the moment. She practically shooed her kids and Johnny out the door, complaining about how they were going to be late.

Johnny grabbed his jacket and keys from next to the door. He turned suddenly and said, a blank expression on his face, "Be good." Before any words left Sue's mouth, he winked and flew out the door.

**4444**

The day had been eventful. Sue and Reed had gone out to lunch and were now walking along the harbor, the sun's rays bright in the cloudless sky. They had talked about nothing and everything. Sue had gotten to see who the new Reed really was.

So far, he was doing well working with Sue, really getting into the meat of the science and research department. She had already known he would do well there. Once a geek, always a geek, as Johnny would say. But it was the Reed standing in front of her now, the new, perceptive, more caring one that she was the most intrigued and surprised with.

They were standing now, not too close, watching everyone pass by in contemplative silence.

"So, uh, what really happened?" Reed inquired curiously, peering closely at Sue. She backed away slightly, suddenly uncomfortable at the close proximity.

"What do you mean?" Sue asked, taking a deep breath, ready to answer any question about their past relationship and….

"To Johnny," Reed answered, backing away and appraising her. Well, that was not what she had expected. "I don't buy that whole thing about wanting a new look. He goes to bed early, girls have stopped interesting him, and…" Sue rolled her eyes. Reed gave her a pointed look. "What?"

Sue laughed. "Well, well, well, Reed. Looks like we're not the only ones who've changed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked defensively.

"You're actually perceptive? When did this happen?"

"Awhile ago," Reed said quickly. "But, that's not the point."

Sue sighed. One day, she'd have him figured out. From what she had seen so far, she knew he wasn't the same Reed she had fallen for so many years ago. No, he had become a man in the fifteen years she hadn't been paying attention. Which was not necessarily a bad thing, she thought.

"Then what is?" Sue crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Your brother."

"What about him?"

"Sue, you're acting like a baby," he accused, amusement and frustration marring his face.

"I am not."

"You are."

Sue threw up her hands in exasperation and turned away from him, her eyes catching the sun. There was one thing which had not changed: he was still difficult.

"Can we not talk about this?" Sue glanced at him quickly, her body rigid.

"So there is something." Reed turned toward the railing and leaned his hands on it as well, interest piqued. She was silent. "Sue?"

Well, he was being extremely nosy. But somehow, Sue didn't mind telling him, even if it did bring back painful memories. She sighed long and tiredly before turning back towards the sun. It was safer there beneath the glare of its heat.

"A few years ago, there was a major project the company was overseeing," Sue began. Reed's eyes widened in surprise, but he did not say anything. Instead, he turned towards her but remained a safe distance away. "We were building a large rocket which Ben and Johnny were overseeing."

Reed whistled. "Since when did Doom Industries build rockets?"

Sue shrugged. "Since we formed a contract with NASA a few years ago."

"Ok." Reed still looked strangely appreciative, but did not say anything else.

"Anyway, they had finished going through everything, engineers came and tested it and deemed it complete and ready to go," Sue continued bitterly. "The day the rocket was to be tested, Johnny went in to power it up. I don't know exactly what happened, but I guess it heated up too fast and there was something wrong with it that the engineers missed and…" she was close to tears, but bit her lip.

"Sue…" Reed put his hand on top of hers.

"And it exploded, Reed," Sue whispered hoarsely. Reed's eyes widened considerably. "It exploded while Johnny was still in there." Her eyes filled and she squinted her eyes against the sun, images of her brother's pale, unconscious form filling her mind. She closed her eyes against the onslaught.

Reed still had not said anything, but had paled. He squeezed her hand. Sue held onto it in a bone crushing grip, letting it ground her.

She swallowed thickly. "It was chaos after that. Ben called 911, then me. I flew down there like a crazy person possessed." She laughed humorlessly. "No one was allowed in because of all the radiation and they took so long before they got Johnny out and…. God, Reed, it was one of the most awful days of my life."

"Sue, I-I'm so sorry," Reed said quietly. "I had no idea."

"I didn't expect you to." Sue sniffed. "Johnny was in the hospital for a few days. Practically gave me a heart attack because he wouldn't wake up for a few hours. I was sure he had died," she choked, but closed her eyes and shook herself. She had to convince herself that Johnny was still here. Alive and healthy. "The doctors said he would be alright. But, a few months later he was at work when he collapsed. A hospital trip, a lot of tests, and a few more gray hairs later and we found out Johnny had a brain tumor."

Sue paused, feeling like she was on flashback overload. She dared glance in Reed's direction to coax his reaction. His eyes were drawn and there was a concerned crease between his eyebrows.

"Does he still…" Reed broke off awkwardly, glancing between her and the horizon.

Sue gave him a watery smile and shook her head. "No, thank God."

Reed looked relieved and half smiled, tension leaving his face. "Well, that explains a lot." He paused and squeezed her hand again. "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone."

"I had help." Sue shrugged. "Ben was always around."

"Yeah, but I'm sure it was hard on everyone. Johnny, Ben, the kids. You."

"Like I said Reed, life happens," Sue whispered, clearing her throat. "And I wasn't alone." She paused, composing herself. "Besides," she waved a hand in the air nonchalantly, "it was a few years ago. Johnny's fine now." Sue smiled tightly. "Everything's fine."

"Ok," Reed accepted.

Sue was about to open her mouth to retort, but snapped it shut quickly. "What?"

"I said, 'ok'," Reed repeated patiently, his mouth tugging into a smile.

Sue looked at him quizzically. She had expected more of… well, something. "That's it? You don't wanna dissect it and take it to your lab or anything?" she teased.

Reed raised his eyebrows, laughing softly. "Uh, no. That's it, Sue." He sighed. "I just wish… well, I just wish my other se—I—could've been around to help. Just make it a little more bearable."

Sue softened. This Reed was turning out to be as different as night and day compared to the one she had know. Sue wondered briefly what could have happened to him that would have changed him so much, but that was a conversation for another time. "Life isn't always happy go-lucky, Reed. And besides, you're here now, so… better late than never, right?"

Reed's eyes looked conflicted between two emotions. One was happy and the other was distant. Before she could ponder about it long enough, the look disappeared and Reed turned back to the horizon, quiet.

Sue turned back as well, letting the quiet hover around them like a blanket and fiddled with her wedding rings. She didn't quite know why she still wore them, Viktor had been gone for many years, but they were a strange comfort to Sue. Something came back to her and she snorted.

Reed looked at her, confused. "What?"

"I was just thinking about Johnny and his lack of interest in women," Sue repeated Reed's words from earlier, using her fingers for quotation marks on the last few words. "He's gonna have a field day about that one."

Reed still looked confused. "What? Why?"

"Because he's still definitely interested in women. The way you go about it makes him sound… well, y'know." Sue flapped her hands about helplessly. "It's just bad experiences led to him not being as, um, assertive, as before."

Reed didn't say anything.

Sue felt like there was a pressure weighing her down all of a sudden. "Oh for the love of God, Reed. What else do you want from me?"

"The truth would be nice."

"So, you're telling me that you've been honest with me this whole time?" Sue asked, feeling suddenly defensive and wanting, needing, to know more.

"Yes," Reed answered.

"Ugh, liar," Sue practically spat. "I don't believe that crap for one second about you not remembering anything. I don't know about you, Reed, but I've never heard of specific fifteen-year amnesia."

"I never said it was amnesia," Reed replied, taking a step back.

"You never said it wasn't," Sue seethed. She was angry all of a sudden and needed to lash out, her emotions running all over the place. Reed had popped back into her life like a daisy she had buried and stepped on years ago. He was scrambling her brains. She did not know what to think anymore.

Before Reed had shown up, Sue generally had her life figure out. She had a great family, a good job, and then her old boyfriend shows up after so many years of silence expecting, what, exactly, she didn't know.

"Reed, I don't know what it is, a feeling, something. But I know that something's going on. And I know it's not amnesia," Sue claimed, her voice low and sharp.

"What do you want from me, Sue?" Reed asked, shoulders down, looking subdued.

"The truth would be nice," Sue shot back his words. He looked up at her sharply, eyes coming to life. Sue crossed her shoulders. "We have a history, Reed, and I need to know. I deserve to know. No matter what it is."

Reed paused and then sighed tiredly. "Fine. Ok, fine. But, you're gonna think I'm crazy."

Sue raised an eyebrow. "My brother, Johnny, you know him don't you? I think I'm pretty comfortable with crazy," Sue said softly.

Reed laughed shakily, glancing around uneasily. "Well, how 'bout I buy you dinner. It's kind of a long story."

_To be continued…._


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **See first chapter.

**Author's Note: **I'm back, and I can't express to you all how sorry I am for taking my sweet time in updating, but my last semester of college kinda got crazy. But, I'm still here, and this story will get finished. I have a break now, so hopefully my mojo will start working again and updates will be quicker. To those of you who are still reading, thank you for hanging in there with me. For those who take the time to drop me a review, a bigger thank you. And to those who celebrate anything around this time of year, Happy Holidays! So, here's the eighth installment. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Two Weeks Later**

"Ben, this is definitely impressive," Reed said appreciatively, whistling when he caught sight of the large rocket and all the engineers working on it. Reed had acquired some equipment the other day, similar to the materials he'd been working on before he was transported here. He'd started making some sort of progress, but he needed more.

"Thanks," Ben said, entering the control room outside the room where the rocket was being built. Reed followed behind, awed at the sheer size of the project and what Ben and Johnny's team have accomplished so far. "It's taken us years to rebuild this thing after Johnny—after the accident."

Ben looked stricken for a moment. "Sue already told me about it, Ben. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Ben looked relieved. He wiped his forehead with the hand not holding the clipboard. "Oh, that's, uh, that's good ta hear."

"Hey, Reed!" Johnny called over the noise and high whines of the machines, waving them over to the large glass window overlooking the large contraption. Ben and Reed walked over to where the younger man was standing next to the control panel. "Did Benji here show you this?" He pointed next to him at all the buttons and screens.

Reed shook his head, but was raking over them with his eyes. He stopped and looked back up at Johnny and Ben. Ben was smiling at him, probably knowing that being down there was a lot better than learning the corporate side to the business. In a place like this, cooped up in a lab of sorts was where he belonged. He'd leave the other part to Sue.

Reed had told her everything the other day. Their reunion, the failed mission to space, their powers, Galactus, the Silver Surfer. What had happened to Viktor, and Reed's theories about how he ended up in a reality that was not his own. The whys were what Sue had started brushing up on, but they hadn't dwelled on it.

Surprisingly, she hadn't been as shocked as Reed thought she would have been. She had a hard time absorbing it all, but Reed had gotten her to do so quicker than the amnesia accusation. Apparently to Sue, dimension traveling was a lot more realistic and made more sense to her than him forgetting fifteen years of his life. Reed couldn't understand her logic, but that was why he had always loved her to begin with.

He turned his attention to what Ben was explaining on the rocket and all things having to do with it. Reed nodded attentively and glanced over at Johnny. The younger man looked a bit paler than he had a few minutes ago and Reed knitted his eyes in concern. Sue had later told him that Johnny had been in remission for the past five years, but strangely Reed still felt a little protective over his brother-in-law's health. It was a strange feeling, but one that came instinctively.

He wanted to say something to Johnny, but then the younger man began talking, continuing where Ben had left off and Reed tuned back into the conversation.

Ben was waving a hand in front of his face. "This can't be borin' to ya, can it, Egghead?"

"What? No!" Reed answered quickly. "No, of course not. Sorry, I guess my mind got away with me."

"It always does, Reed," Johnny stated, licking his lips. Reed could see gathered perspiration on his upper lip, but Johnny quickly wiped it away. "It was probably somewhere over the rainbow. You with us now?"

"Yeah," Reed answered, moving forward and placing his hand gently on Johnny's sleeve. "Are you ok, Johnny?"

Johnny rubbed at his neck slowly and looked up at him, a question in his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine, Reed. It's just been one of those days, that's all."

Ben had turned to look at Johnny as well, his eyebrows going up slightly. "Have you eaten anything today, kid?"

"I ate a couple hours ago, but thanks for asking, Mom," Johnny replied sarcastically. He shrugged out of Reed's grip and walked over to a large closet in the corner of the room. They passed by multiple employees chatting about the project or nothing at all. "And I said I'm fine."

Reed put his hands up in surrender. "Ok. I was just asking."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm sure Sue put you up to this, didn't she?" Johnny accused. Reed opened his mouth to object but Johnny continued his tirade. "I swear she's been breathing down my neck lately. One stupid headache and she acts like the world's over."

"Easy, kiddo, she's just worried 'boutcha," Ben interjected, raising his hand, placating. "We all are."

"Well, I'm not a piece of glass, ok," Johnny huffed hotly, his eyes ablaze with irritation. He was breathing heavily when he stopped talking and looked at the two men in front of him, as though just coming to himself. He rubbed at his eyes quickly and scratched at his neck. "'M sorry. I know she's… I know you're all…. I'm sorry. But, I'm fine. Really."

"Alright, ok," Ben conceded. "Don't have a cow, Tinkerbell. Now weren'tcha gonna show Reed the radioactive suits we gotta put on?"

"Oh yeah," Johnny brightened a little at that. He moved to open the closet behind him and just like that the tension had disappeared and they were back where they'd left off. Reed pushed his worry aside, excited about getting to see the rocket and all the equipment up close. Johnny opened up the closet and pulled out a radiation suit proudly. "We get to wear these babies. Cool, huh?"

Reed took the offered suit from him and felt the material, turning it over and examining it. "Yes, Johnny. Definitely cool."

Johnny grinned broadly.

Ten minutes later the three of them were dressed and ready to go. Ben moved ahead and pushed a large red button on the side of the window and a large steel door hissed open. Reed was ushered inside by his two friends and completely intrigued with what his eyes fell upon. He had seen the rocket on the outside, but it was a different experience on the inside.

The product itself was massive, rising several feet above everyone in the room. It was wide around its middle, and there were several engineers working back and forth on one side. Reed turned around and noticed the window he could see through on the other side was actually a one way mirror. The employees on the control side were the only ones who could see them. Reed suddenly felt as though he were in an interrogation room.

"So, whaddaya think?" Ben inquired, startling Reed from behind.

Reed scratched at his suit and turned to face his long-time friend. "Like I said Ben, impressive." Ben smiled proudly.

"There's a coupla things here I thought you'd find even more interesting." Ben waved him over to the edge of the room, passing an engineer who had flagged Johnny down to give him some information. Reed followed, genuinely interested in what Ben might have to show him. "It's all this extra stuff we don't need. Ya know, sciency things an' all…"

Reed grinned and stopped when Ben pointed in the direction of said things. There was a lot of wires, large vacuum-like equipment, and plenty of metal. "Ben, this is… well, I could probably build something out of this."

"Tha's what I thought." Ben picked up a piece of wire. "Ya always were a genius. Making anything outta nothin'."

"I mean this'll take some time, but I think with a few calculations, this could really be something." Reed's mind was already going a mile a minute. He could start building up his original machine with these scraps. "Thanks, Ben."

"Don't mention it." Ben scratched his head. "Didn't wanna hafta deal with all that recycle crap anyway."

Reed reminded himself to grab some sort of box to put the material in. He would have to start from scratch, but he now had hope of returning to his own present. It felt like an eternity since he'd last seen Sue and the rest of the Fantastic Four. They must be going sick with worry so the faster he could build his machine and figure out how it sent him here, the faster he could get home.

"It's gonna be done soon, ya know," Ben started conversationally. He scratched at his head, then ran the same hand down his face tiredly.

"What is it, Ben?" Reed implored, momentarily forgetting his new treasure.

Ben's eyes strayed to where Johnny was talking to an employee and then back to Reed. "I'm just worried, I guess. We took the proper measures, but last time… well, it didn't turn out the way we planned."

Reed nodded knowingly. "It rarely does, Ben. But you'll see. This time it'll be different."

Ben's surprised eyes bore into him, as though trying to decipher what had become of his friend, but he only nodded.

"So, we done here?" Johnny asked, startling both men.

"Crap, kid, ya don't just walk up behind people like that," Ben chastised without much heat behind his words.

"Did I scare you, Big Guy?" Johnny mocked playfully. "You gonna whine like a baby?"

"Shut up, Tinkerbell, or you'll have another thing comin' to ya," Ben warned.

Johnny placed a hand over his heart dramatically. "I'm already shaking in my radioactive suit. Bring it on, Rock head!"

Reed had seen many changes in this reality. Had been surprised by a lot. But it was good to know, watching Ben and Johnny bicker, that some things didn't change.

_To be continued…_


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **Same as before.

**Author's Note: **A specific mention to _Kitty_, who reviews every chapter and is always encouraging with her words. Thank you. This chapter was finished sooner than I'd hoped, and I have begun writing the tenth. This story is going on longer than I'd anticipated but will hopefully be wrapped up soon. And for any grammatical errors, I'm sorry beforehand. I just wanted to get this chapter up! I hope you enjoy!!

* * *

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"So, what am I like, in your world?" Sue asked hesitantly, biting her lip. She told herself she wasn't going to pry, but damn it if her curiosity hadn't gotten the best of her.

Reed's wrench wavered and then slipped from his hand, making a clanging sound as it hit the floor. "What do you mean?" He looked startled.

"I mean," Sue sighed, "Am I the same person? Am I better or worse? What?"

Reed puffed a few breaths and rubbed his neck. "Sue, it's probably better if you don't know. I already told you everything anyway. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Sue bit her lip. "Well, yeah, but you skipped over the poignant details."

"Like I said, it's better if you don't know." Reed turned and started working again.

"Why not?" Sue remained stubborn. Whatever she was like in Reed's real life, it couldn't be that bad. "It's not like it's gonna change anything. I exist here, and I—she—exists there. It's never been a problem before."

Reed stopped working, rubbed his chin and looked her in the eye. "Sue, I… can't. You know I can't. It's not that it's gonna change anything. But, it's kinda complicated."

"Reed, c'mon," Sue pressed on. "This," she gestured to him and the lab, "is complicated. I wanna know more about my other self."

Reed sighed. "I told you you have powers." Sue glared at him. He shrugged and went back to work.

"Reed," Sue warned, her frustration rising.

"Sue," Reed mocked.

Sue crossed her arms and ignored him, walking around the lab. "Fine," she conceded, walking back to her ex. "Tell me, don't tell me, fine, whatever. Not my problem."

Reed had stopped working again during her little tirade and was staring at her with a raised eyebrow and a smile. Sue suddenly felt her cheeks redden and looked down. She fiddled with her wedding and engagement rings before looking up at him again. He was still staring at her, a faraway look in his eyes.

Biting her lip, she asked, "What?"

Reed seemed to come back to himself and looked away, embarrassed. He just shrugged and went back to work, getting down beneath his machine. He stretched out his hand, reaching for a tool, Sue guessed. He paused with his hand mid-air, tried to stretch further and pulled his arm down. Sue couldn't see his face, but she could imagine his expression was one of nostalgia and slight sadness.

"Hey, Sue? Could you—" and before Reed could finish his sentence, Sue had the screwdriver in his hand. "Thanks," came the muffled reply.

"No problem." Sue sighed, brushing her hair back and sat in the closest chair near where Reed was working.

They sat in silence after that, Reed clinking away at his machine while Sue watched and pondered. She would never admit it to Reed, but she wished he would stay in her reality and not have to go back to his own. It was selfish, she knew, but it had been so long, and this Reed was so much different than the one she'd known that it almost hurt to think about what she could've had with him had things gone differently like they'd obviously had in his reality.

At first, when Reed had first told her the story about their mission into space, which had apparently gone awry on his end, Sue had been slightly skeptical. Who wouldn't have been? An old friend showing up out of nowhere after fifteen years and not remembering any of it seemed a little farfetched for anyone. But Sue couldn't ignore the fact that Reed coming from somewhere else made a lot more sense than the excuse of amnesia.

So, she'd put a little faith in him and herself, and believed him. It was strange. Sue felt both relieved and weighted with pressure at the same time. Sue worried about Reed finding his way home and feared for him if he didn't.

The truth was, Reed had been a big help to her while he'd been here. He would come with her to work, help out the research department as well as with the NASA rocket project. Victoria and Spencer were getting used to the idea of him being around and Victoria no long looked at him suspiciously anymore.

Sue smiled at that. Victoria was a protective one, especially of any new man in their lives. To her, it had always just been Ben and her uncle Johnny. Her daughter had been very young when her father had died. Sue was thankful that Victoria had not had to grow up too fast because of all the help the family had gotten; she was still too mature for her age, her eyes too knowing.

Spencer was curious. Sue's eleven year old's eyes were always so full of wonder. And he reminded her way too much of Johnny and his mischievousness. The two almost seemed to have a secret eye language that Sue and everyone else weren't privy to. She would admonish them from time to time, as any mother would, but she loved Spencer's enthusiasm. It was contagious.

Her kids and Johnny had kept her going after Viktor's death. Her marriage had not been the happiest, but Viktor had always meant well. But, he'd always been away on business ventures and she'd felt the sting of his absence even before his death. Sue had always wondered what her life would have been like if she hadn't married Viktor. Then, Sue would feel guilty about it because then she wouldn't have such amazing children. And she couldn't think about not having them in her life.

That brought her thoughts back to the present. Did Reed's family know where he was? Did they even know he was missing? What was her life like, filled with different responsibilities? Would she eventually have children who resembled Victoria and Spencer in some way?

"Hey, Reed?" she broke the silence. Reed tried to pull up and slammed his head against the edge of the metal contraption. "Ooh, are you ok?"

Reed waved a hand and pulled back before pushing back up again. He emerged rubbing his head and a small pout on his face. Sue thought he looked adorable.

"Reed?" Sue asked again when he didn't say anything. "You ok?"

"What? Oh, um, yes, I'm fine." Reed got off of the floor and sat on the chair across from Sue. He was looking at his hand strangely, awed. "It's just, the last time I built a machine, I got it done a lot faster stretching around. Literally."

"I know," Sue sympathized, thinking about what it would be like to have powers. "Going back to the old fashioned way isn't what it used to be. Can we call your powers modern conveniences?"

Reed laughed softly. "I guess you could."

"Hey, Reed?" Sue repeated, not being swayed by distractions. "Do you miss m—her, I mean?"

"I do," Reed answered, not missing a beat. His eyes were now boring into hers. "Sometimes more than others."

"How so?" Sue moved her chair closer, her eyes never leaving his.

Reed looked away, looking flushed. "This is awkward." Sue raised her eyebrows. "Just talking to you about you, but another you. It's just… scientifically challenging."

"Always with the science, Reed. Never thinking about other important stuff." The words were out of her mouth before she could think them. Reed was giving her a baffled look, his eyes wondering, but didn't say anything. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." She flushed.

Reed put his hands up in a placatory gesture. "No, you did mean them…"

"No, I did—" Sue interjected.

"…But that's ok," Reed continued as though she hadn't interrupted him. He turned away and fiddled with the top of the unnamed machine. "She tells me the same thing all the time." He shrugged.

"Oh," was all Sue could manage. Maybe she and her doppelganger were more alike than she'd thought.

Reed cleared his throat and looked back up, a smile threatening to tug his lips upward. "What I meant was that I miss her when I first wake up in the morning and roll over and don't find her there. Or, when…." He took a shaky breath. "You know what scares me is that I might forget her."

Sue frowned. "Why would you forget her?"

"Because she's right here." Reed smiled sadly at her.

"I'm sorry," Sue apologized, not really knowing why, but feeling the need to do so and make Reed feel better.

Reed waved a hand in the air. "No, _I_ should be sorry. Dropping in on your lives like this and pulling you into all this."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sue scoffed. "You're no burden. And no one thinks so, either. Besides, I'm kinda getting used to you being around, Mr. Scientist."

Reed smiled his thanks. He sobered before asking, "Do you miss Viktor?"

Sue paused. No one had ever really asked her that question before, so she was unsure how to answer it. She stood and began pacing the room slowly.

"I…" She lifted her head to meet Reed's eyes and they were so understanding that she knew he wouldn't think badly of her once the words were out of her mouth. "No. And I know that makes me sound so awful, but it—it's true." She rushed on, feeling embarrassed. "I mean… he wasn't a bad husband, and he tried to be a good father when he was around, but I don't know. I guess we were happy… but his priority was always his job." Sue breathed and looked away.

"He was never around?" Reed asked slowly.

Sue almost laughed. "Not as much as he should've been, no. I just wish I'd gotten more time with him. Y'know, gotten to know him more." She shrugged and moved to stand next to the machine. "How's the machine looking?"

Reed searched her eyes for a second, as though silently telling her the conversation wasn't over. "It's not finished, if that's what you mean."

"I didn't mean anything. Just asking how it's going," Sue assured.

"Well, right now it's just schematics, y'know?" Reed touched his machine almost lovingly. "It's not ready to work quite yet. And even then, I have no clue how it's actually going to work because I have no clue how it managed to get me here."

Sue raised her eyebrow. "Mr. Scientist doesn't know how to work his machine. That's new."

"Gee, thanks." Reed smiled and began putting some of his tools away.

"What I meant," Sue emphasized the word, "was that you're smart, Reed. You'll figure it out. You just have to be a little patient, that's all." Sue moved towards the doorway. "Anyway, I have to get started on dinner. You're not gonna skip out on it this time, are you?"

"What? No," Reed immediately replied. Sue gave him a firm look. "Just give a shout when you're done."

"Right," Sue huffed, frustrated. She'd been doing that for the past couple of nights and he'd still been too involved with his work to pay attention. And she would never tell him, but Sue had kind of missed him when he didn't show up for dinner.

"No, really, this time I mean it," Reed placated. "Besides, I promised Spencer I'd take a look at his science fair project. See if I can get it working." He flushed slightly and ducked his head.

Sue immediately softened. "Right, well, he does need help with that. Science isn't his best subject."

Reed was about to say something when Spencer came shooting into the lab past her. Reed stopped the young boy with his hands on Spencer's shoulders. "Whoa, easy."

"Spencer, apologize to Reed," Sue admonished her son for nearly bumping into the scientist.

"That's alright, Sue."

"Sorry, Mr. Richards," Spencer mumbled, head down.

"Please, Spencer, call me Reed," the older man offered.

"Ok, um, sorry, Mr. Rich—Reed," Spencer amended.

Sue smiled at her son. He looked embarrassed, but proceeded to ask Reed a bunch of questions about the lab.

Johnny lumbered in behind Spencer looking pale and a little unsteady on his feet. When he was within reach of the lab's doorway, he leaned heavily on the doorframe.

Sue frowned, concern overwhelming her, and moved to lean her hand against Johnny's arm, but he quickly shifted away.

"I'm ok," he assured, voice a little breathy.

"I didn't ask," Sue huffed, slightly annoyed.

"No, but you were going to." Johnny laughed softly.

"Of course I was," Sue shot back. Spencer was pulling Reed over to the machine he was building. The scientist was laughing at something her son was saying. She leaned towards Johnny and lowered her voice, ignoring Spencer's enthusiastic amazement at all of the equipment and Reed's concerned looks their way. "Johnny, you can't expect me to ignore this."

"You're not ignoring anything," Johnny argued. "Because there's nothing wrong." He wiped the perspiration gathering on his upper lip and turned towards Spencer. "He's fascinated with Reed, y'know? But worried, too, about what he's gonna mean to our family."

Sue paused. Her son was laughing at something Reed was telling him and asking what seemed like a thousand questions at once.

She knew that her youngest was worried about how Reed was going to affect their careful balance if he were to remain permanent. She would never voice it aloud, but she'd thought about the topic as well.

For now, Sue ignored all of it, pushed it away. She knew Johnny practiced avoidance like it was an art form, made others' problems seem more important than his.

"I know you haven't been eating well. I know about the dizzy spells, the bouts of weakness…"

"I am not weak!" Johnny protested in a whisper shout.

Sue continued on as though he hadn't spoken. "Now tell me what's going on, Johnny? The doctor said everything was fine a few months ago, right?" Johnny nodded slightly. "Johnny, I deserve to know."

"Uncle Johnny," Spencer called happily, coming over and dragging his uncle's hand and pulling him into the room. Johnny went, throwing an apologetic look Reed's way and giving a small smile to Sue. Reed shook his head, smiling.

"Look at this!" Spencer picked up a piece of equipment that looked more like a tin box. "Mr. Richards is a genius!" He flipped the box around and over.

Reed laughed. "Spencer's being too kind. It does nothing yet, really."

"Who cares, it looks cool!"

"Spencer, I'm sure Reed doesn't want you touching his stuff," Sue admonished.

Reed shook his head. "It's ok."

"Yeah, Suze, lighten up," Johnny said, taking the box from Spencer's hands. "You're too grouchy, right Spence?"

"Right!" her son heartily agreed.

Sue gave him a withering look and Spencer quickly put his head down guiltily.

Her brother nudged him. "Besides," Johnny continued happily, "Reed missed the most important thing about this contraption." He placed the opening of the box on Spencer's head. "It'd make a great hat, right, Spence?"

Her son laughed softly and began adjusting his hat.

"I think the word 'genius' needs to be redefined." Johnny smirked and winked at his nephew.

"Sure, but what it's really meant to do—rather what I'm trying to make it do—is to have it be a portal between realities and…" Reed began excitedly.

"Yeah, whatever, Mr. Scientist." Johnny patted Reed on the back and began moving out of the way, Spencer right behind him, hat still on his head. "You do whatcha gotta do. This is all too sci-fi for me anyway."

"Uncle Johnny's taking me to the rocket show when it gets finished. You wanna come, Mr. Richards?" Her son looked up at Reed hopefully.

Sue interrupted, pointing an accusing finger at her brother."Johnny, that thing is not ready and you are so not taking Spencer. It's too dangerous." Sue paled at the thought of her son going anywhere near that thing.

"I'd love to come see it, Spencer, it that's ok with your uncle." Reed began putting his tools and goggles away.

Johnny shrugged. "The more the merrier."

Sue felt like everyone was ignoring her. "Has anyone bothered to ask me what I think about this?"

"No, I didn't think Reed needed your permission. He's a big boy, Sue."

Sue felt her temper rising at the flippant way Johnny was treating the situation. "Spencer isn't, Johnny."

Her son gave her a dark look. He often liked to think of himself as older than his eleven years.

"It's not a rocket launch, Sue," Johnny explained, his hands on Spencer's shoulders. "You know that. We're just gonna turn it on, see if everything's in working order. That's all."

That didn't make Sue feel better. They had done that the last time, and her brother had gotten hurt. She wasn't willing to risk her son, too. "No."

"Mom!"

"I said no, Spencer. It's too dangerous." Sue pulled down at her sweater and tried not to look at her son's puppy eyes. "Besides, you have school."

"Aww, Mom, it's just one day."

"Sue." Johnny placed a hand on her shoulder, Reed pretending to not eavesdrop. Her brother's color had returned and his steady gaze was boring into her. "It's ok. It's safe. I promise."

Sue caved at that instant and was embarrassed to feel her eyes well up. She blinked several times and took a deep breath.

"Mom, Uncle Johnny!" Victoria called. "Pizza's here."

Spencer didn't think twice. His eyes lit up and was out of the lab before any of the adults could blink.

"Sue," Reed interjected, his voice sounding reasonable. "We're all gonna be there. You, me, Ben, and Johnny. It'll be fine."

Sue's eyes flickered between her brother and her… Reed. "Victoria's gonna wanna come, too."

Johnny raised his eyebrows. "Is that a yes?" He sounded hopeful.

"Oh, alright. Fine. That's a yes. Is that what you wanna hear?" Sue scoffed.

"Yes," Johnny answered with a grin.

"Ok, then." Sue sniffed. "Discussion over." Reed smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder. Johnny moved to the door. She held up a hand in warning. "Don't make me regret this."

Johnny smirked. "I would never."

_To be continued…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:**See first chapter.

**Author's Note:**Hey everyone! I hope it hasn't been too long. This chapter is finished and posted and I'm working on the rest. We're nearing the end of this tale and I hope each one has been to your satisfaction! Please feel free to drop me a line anytime! Thanks again to those who do take the time out to review. Your words of encouragement and opinions always make my day! I hope you read this chapter and enjoy!

* * *

**Timing Is Everything **

**By: Pinkchick**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Hey, I was watching that!"

"Not anymore, you're not."

"But my favorite show's on and uncle Johnny forgot to set the TiVo."

"Not my problem, Spencer."

"Give me the remote, Toria."

"Come make me."

Sue heard a scuffle, the couch squeaking slightly as it moved across the floor. There was more shuffling and grunting as Sue cleaned the kitchen counter the next day. They usually got that way over the TV, so it wasn't something she rushed to break up.

Sue looked up when Johnny walked into the kitchen, grin lighting up his sallow face as he clicked his cell phone shut. Her brother's grin faltered slightly when he grabbed the chair clumsily. Sue reached for him worriedly, but Johnny played it off with a wave of his hand.

Sue backed away with a frown on her face. "Johnny…"

"Guess what, Suz?" Johnny cut in, the grin coming back in full force, a sudden gleam in his eyes. Before Sue could open her mouth, he continued. "The rocket is gonna be ready for testing next week! Awesome, right?"

"Yeah. Awesome," Sue chimed in with the enthusiasm of a turtle.

"C'mon, Sue, It's ok," Johnny reassured quickly. He stood up and took hold of her shoulders. "This is good news."

Sue looked up to take in her brother's face. How could someone look so tired and happy at the same time? "Is it, Johnny? I mean I know you're been working hard on this project, but… I'm just not sure I'm as in love with it as you are." She looked away from him.

"Listen, I know you're worried, but everything's fine." Johnny placed his index finger under her chin and turned her face gently. She swallowed as she looked into his emotion filled eyes. They were promising her what he couldn't say in words. "We took every precaution. It's all good, really."

Sue furrowed her eyebrows. Why couldn't he understand this wasn't just about some stupid rocket. "You can't guarantee that, Johnny. You know how I feel about this. You shouldn't go, please, I can't watch you go in there again."

Johnny sighed in frustration and let go of her. "It's a project I've been overseeing for years. It's my job. And I'm not a kid, Sue. You can't tell me what I can and can't do."

"This is such a girlie show, Toria. It's not cool like the other one." Sue heard Spencer complain.

"You're still my brother, Johnny! And I'm supposed to look after you, that's _my_ job!" Sue felt the frustration welling up inside her like a balloon filling with helium.

"It's cool 'cause I say it's cool. And it's a lot less stupid than the lame cartoon thing you watch," Victoria retorted. There was some more shuffling, Spencer making a loud huffing sound.

"No, it's not!" Johnny pushed out through clenched teeth and sat back down. He rubbed at his face, fingers at his eyes. "You can't always protect me, Sue! You have to get that. I'm not asking for your permission, I'm telling you."

"Is not!" Spencer defended.

"So, what, my opinion doesn't matter to you anymore? You're just gonna do whatever you want, is that it?" Sue was on the verge of shouting. She was gripping the chair next to Johnny's so hard, her knuckles were turning white. "Well, I won't let you!"

"Is too!" Victoria shot back.

"You won't let me?" Johnny narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. Sue made eye contact and pulled back. "Is that a threat?"

"No!" Tears suddenly sprung to her eyes and she sat down heavily, head in her hands. "It's just not safe. Someone else'll do it, please, just not you. You can be there, just let someone else go in. Please." It sounded pathetic, even to her, but she hoped Johnny heard the desperate plea. Sue's head came up as her tears made a path down her face.

"Is no—"

Johnny's eyes softened. He opened his mouth to say something, when he was abruptly cut off.

"MOM!" Spencer and Victoria chorused.

Sue closed her eyes briefly. She distinctly heard the thumping of two pairs of feet before opening her eyes to see her children entering the kitchen.

Sue quickly wiped at her eyes, but not before Victoria gave her and Johnny a suspicious look.

"Mom? What's wrong?" Victoria asked, concerned. Her eyes kept moving between her mother and uncle.

"Nothing, Toria. You're mom just got a little dust in her eyes," Johnny lied. "Right, Sue?"

Sue didn't trust her voice, so she just gave them a nod and a watery smile, sliding her fingers across her eyes until they were dry.

"You sure?" Victoria's voice lowered. She moved forward towards her mother, but stopped and turned to look at Johnny when he stood up slowly. "Uncle Johnny, you're ok? Everything's alright?"

Johnny smiled evenly. "'Course it is, Toria. Nothing to worry about. Really."

Victoria didn't look convinced, but she dropped the matter, handed the remote to Spencer and sat down, looking wary.

Spencer didn't seem to notice the tension in the room. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as he stared at the remote in his hand. He looked up, smiled, and bolted to the living room, free to watch whatever he wanted.

"Spencer?" Sue called, knowing her son would hear her.

"Yeah, Mom?" he called back. Sue set about collecting the things she would need to make dinner. Johnny and Victoria were still sitting at the table, her brother shifting his phone uncomfortably.

"You're cancer's not back, is it, Uncle Johnny?" Victoria hedged quietly.

She felt more than saw Johnny shift and turned to see him take her daughter's hand. She swallowed. "Shouldn't you be working on your science fair project? Reed said he was gonna help you?"

"Nothing's coming back, Toria. I'm just tired, is all," Johnny answered genuinely. "This project's taken a lot out of everyone, your uncle included." He smiled reassuredly at his niece.

"Aw, Mom," Spencer whined, like only a kid could do and almost get away with it. "I don't have to do it now. 'Sides, Mr. Reed and I worked on it yesterday. I wanna watch TV."

Reed had told her son not to call him Mr. Richards, but to refer to him using his first name. Spencer still felt slightly uncomfortable with that, so he'd taken to calling him Mr. Reed instead.

"Hey, Mom? Spencer's going to the rocket testing thingy. I wanna go, too," Victoria announced. "Uncle Johnny said I could."

Johnny fiddled with the tablecloth, giving her a sheepish smile. Sue wasn't baited. She glared at her brother until he looked away guiltily. Sue sighed. She couldn't very well tell her daughter that she couldn't go when she had allowed Spencer to. She felt her control slipping.

"Ok, fine." Victoria's face lit up. "But on one condition." Her daughter's smile slipped and she pressed her lips together as though she tasted something awful. "You have to finish all your homework and turn it early for the day you're not gonna be in school."

Johnny raised his eyebrows at the same time Victoria did. "Is that it?" There was hope in her voice.

Sue nodded.

"Done. Thanks, Mom." Victoria got up to hug her mother. Sue tensed, but then wrapped her arms around her daughter. "So," Victoria's voice was muffled against Sue's shoulder, "what's for dinner?"

Sue pulled back to look at her daughter. "Nothing you can't help me with."

"Aww, Mom," Victoria whined. "Uncle Johnny? Tell her."

Johnny raised his hands in defense. "You're on your own, Toria. Sorry. Besides, I need to run some things through with—"

Ben walked into the kitchen with a black portfolio in one hand and a half eaten apple in the other. "So, what's for dinner?" He sat down at the table. Sue rolled her eyes.

"—Ben," Johnny finished, a wide smile appearing as he patted his friend on the back in greeting. "Speak of the devil."

"Yeah, yeah, Tinkerbell, I know." Ben began opening up the portfolio as he took a bite out of his apple. "You don't have to say it, you missed me." He smirked, then looked at Sue. "Really, Suzie, I'm starving."

"For the love of God, you're worse than Johnny sometimes," Sue scoffed. She made her way to the refrigerator as Victoria pulled out some pans. "You'll eat what I make you. This isn't some twenty four hour diner at your command."

Ben looked guilty. Sue took pity on him. "We're having spaghetti and meatballs. It's the only thing I can find that's edible." She looked at Victoria. "We need to make a grocery run tomorrow."

At the table, Johnny continued. "Pfft, please. I didn't say anything about missing you, Benji. You've only been gone a coupla days. Seriously? Do I look like some love sick puppy to you?" Johnny had a dramatic hand over his heart.

"Well, definitely not love sick," Ben answered soberly, his face straight. "But, I hafta admit you've got that puppy look down cold."

Victoria laughed. Sue tried hard not to. Johnny just scowled and threw his hands up in the air in theatrical exasperation. "Whatever. Let's just get to work."

For an hour, Johnny and Ben sat bent over their work discussing all the last minute details for the rocket test. Sue had finally sent Victoria to do something else while she finished preparing dinner. Reed was still locked away in his lab, doing God knew what with his machine.

Sue lowered the heat under the spaghetti sauce pan and wiped her hands on a dishtowel.

"And all the finishing touches are complete?" Ben asked, voice lowered in worry.

Johnny smiled proudly. "Down to the last inch. When I turn it on, that baby's gonna purr like a well oiled engine."

Sue gave him a meaningful look. Johnny's gaze was unwavering. In his eyes, he was asking his sister to trust him. Sue did. Really. It was just hard to stop herself from worrying about something when she knew the previous event had been disastrous. The same event she feared might happen again.

Ben nodded warily. "Ok. Can't go back now, can we?"

Johnny pointed an accusing finger at his friend. "Don't even think about doing it, either."

Ben put up his hands and chuckled. "Look, Tinkerbell, I ain't goin' back now. Just makin' more of a statement."

Johnny rolled his eyes and began packing up the papers. He stopped to rub his stomach, which had started growling. "Dinner ready yet, Suze?"

Sue nodded and began calling her kids into the kitchen. She moved to the door of the kitchen and called for Reed to join them as well.

"Just a few more touches, and I'll call it a night," Reed called back.

Spencer and Victoria made their way into the kitchen and sat down. Sue put the bowl full of food onto the table and told everyone to give Reed a couple of minutes before they got started.

A couple of minutes turned into ten and everyone was starting to become impatient. Sue got up and called for Reed again.

"I'm coming!" Reed answered.

Sue sighed and sat back down at the table, telling everyone to start eating. She piled some food onto her plate and began eating, the sounds of her family droning on in the background. She kept stealing glances at the chair usually occupied by Reed, now empty.

Halfway through dinner she called for him again, anger washing over her tone.

Almost two hours later, everyone finished their dinner, said what they'd needed to say, and then dispersed to different areas of the house. It left Sue alone in the kitchen, cleaning up and using more force with the towels and dishes than she usually did.

Reed, unknowing of anything other than his machine, kept working in the lab.

Sue decided she would keep a plate of food out for him if he ever decided to come out of his shell of a lab, hungry and tired.

When she came in to the kitchen in the morning, however, the plate was still full.

_To be continued…_


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:**Not mine.

**Author's Note:** I promised to start posting this story again and here it is! Finally! It is about two scenes from being finished. I will post a chapter every few days or so. I believe there are about five of them left plus an epilogue. I began writing this story a year ago and didn't really think it would take so long to complete, but then that's life. For those who stuck with me and will continue to read and review, thank you. I'm very grateful.

Now, I leave you with the chapter. Any mistakes are mine. If you choose to read it, I really, really hope you enjoy. Also, if you have any feedback, I'd love to hear from you!

-Pink

**Timing Is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**Chapter 11**

Reed stopped for a second to wipe a hand over his tired eyes. He'd been in the lab for hours last night working on his machine.

He'd never been able to finish it in his timeline, so Reed didn't know exactly how it would turn out when he was done with it. If he were to be honest with himself, Reed was a little nervous and scared that he would be permanently stuck in a world which didn't belong to him.

Sure, it had its perks. There were no paparazzi constantly stationed outside the building, no strange happenings with their powers, no aliens coming to help destroy the earth. Everything where he was now was normal.

But it wasn't home.

A flash of the Baxter Building and the people he loved in it flooded his mind and he suddenly felt home sick.

Since his arrival in this timeline, he hadn't gone back to the lonely apartment he'd woken up in. Without telling Sue, he had looked his parallel self up. Reed had thought it was a little weird at first, but he'd felt it was something which needed to be done. He knew the machine he was building would eventually—he hoped—transport him back to his timeline. Looking himself up in 2020 was his safety net.

More importantly, he wanted Sue to have a Reed she could actually hold onto. Not one who showed up and disappeared. Whatever the case—in the end—he was doing it for her. He hoped she would accept that when he eventually told her.

"Ten minutes until countdown." The intercom voice blared.

Reed looked around at the crowd of employees and NASA executives gathered behind the protective glass housing the rocket. It was a day in Von Doom Industry history. He just hoped five years of effort wouldn't go to waste. Especially where Johnny was concerned. His brother-in-law was going to be the one pushing the button that would turn the rocket on.

Based on what happened last time, Reed was more than a little nervous. He could only imagine how Sue would be feeling. But, this time, everyone was here. Ben and the kids, himself included. Glancing around, he found her sitting on a stool in the corner of the room, watching Johnny's every move like a hawk.

Near their uncle, Victoria and Spencer were shadowing Ben, their faces lit up like the fourth of July. It really was a sight to see. There was a spark in the air, a happiness everyone was bouncing off each other like a contagious disease.

Not Sue though. Reed could practically feel the tension rolling off of her in waves. She was huddled into herself, sitting outside the excitement, her face a blank cloak of hidden worry.

In two strides, Reed was at her side, hand on her shoulder. Startled, she turned to look at him, a nervous smile gracing her pretty features.

"How you holding up?" Reed asked, pulling up a stool and sitting down next to her. The room seemed to be bustling more now with the countdown getting closer.

"Oh, y'know, just peachy," Sue replied quickly, her fingers fidgeting. Reed couldn't help but think she sounded like her brother at that moment.

Reed grabbed her hand and closed her fingers into fists to stop her fidgeting. He patted her hand comfortingly. "It's gonna be ok. You'll see."

"For the love of—why does everyone keep telling me that?" Sue burst out. She pushed Reed's hand off of hers and turned to face him, index finger pointed at his chest accusingly. "Are you a hundred percent positive everything's gonna be ok? Have you seen the future, Reed?" She paused and lowered her finger, moving it and the rest of her digits to rub at her temples. "Oh, just don't answer that."

Reed smiled softly. "You shouldn't let your worry get the better of you. Enjoy the moment for what it is." He looked across the room and watched as Johnny excitedly explained something to his niece and nephew about the rocket. It took the edge off of his own worry. Even if only for a little while.

"I swear, Reed, if you say anything else that even sounds remotely comforting, I'm gonna make you sleep in your lab." She slapped her forehead dramatically. "Oh, wait, you already do."

Reed looked at her sharply. Guilt pooled in her eyes as quickly as it did in his. It was true. He had been working in his lab too often lately, trying to get his machine up and running. He also knew that Sue and everyone else had noticed. Reed felt something stir in his gut. He was literally trapped. Trapped in a world where he had all the people he loved, yet trying to get back to a world that was irrefutably his.

"I'm sorry," Reed and Sue chorused. They gave each other guilty smiles.

"I'm just trying to get home, y'know?" Reed hoped she understood that. "It's nothing against you, I promise." He tried not to think about what that meant when he stayed in his lab too long in his reality.

"I know. I know." Sue sighed and looked to the distance before returning her eyes to his. "And I get. I do. It's just me being selfish. I guess I just want more time with you before you have to go. Which is hard to process after coming back into our lives."

Reed sighed. "It doesn't mean we can't spend some more time together." Sue looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"You mean that?" Sue asked, an eyebrow raised, not quite willing to believe. "The table in the lab is starting to mold to your face, after all."

Reed shrugged. "I mean, I still have to finish helping Spencer with his science and all. I just hope I haven't overstayed my welcome."

"No, not at all." Sue smiled shyly, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. Reed grinned at her, feeling a little relieved. He supposed as much as he wanted to get back to his own family, there would be no harm in sticking around the alternate one for a little while longer. He had to admit, even if to himself, that he was getting used to this version of life. Maybe Reed would tell his wife about Spencer and Victoria. If—when—he and Sue had children, he wouldn't mind at all if they turned out like them.

"Am I interrupting something?" a voice behind Sue interjected. The scientist looked up to see Johnny coming around to stand in front of them. "'Cause, ya know, I could come back."

"No, no, you're not interrupting anything," Sue quickly deflected, not making eye contact.

"Right, sure." The younger man nudged his sister in the side, winking.

Sue groaned while Reed shook his head.

"Johnny, I swear you're like a five year old." Sue sounded like she'd forgotten she was worried, her concern melting easily into annoyance. Her younger brother grinned, eyebrows dancing. Sue sighed. "Whatever. Not like you ever listen anyway. What's up?"

"Five minutes until countdown," the intercom voice informed them.

The younger man shrugged. "Nothin'. Just came over to make sure you weren't peeing yourself or anything." A smile twitched his lips.

Sue's eyes flashed. "First of all, I would never pee myself, Mister Hot Shot. Secondly, I remember when you used to do that same thing as a little boy. Wouldn't that make for great boardroom conversation? And I have the pictures to prove it." She crossed her arms over her chest triumphantly.

Johnny narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "You wouldn't."

Reed tried not to laugh. He knew Johnny was trying to ease his sister's nerves.

"Oh, I would," Sue said, matter of fact. "If everything doesn't go as planned today, then I'm definitely inclined to use it… after I kick your ass first."

"Psh." Johnny waved his hand nonchalantly. "I'd like to see you try."

"Hey, Tinkerbell," Ben called from across the room. Johnny turned, rolling his eyes at his friend. "They're ready for ya."

"Gotta go. Duty calls." Johnny began moving away, but stopped abruptly and leaned down in front of Sue. "Everything's gonna be fine. You'll see." He tipped her chin quickly with his index finger and walked off.

Sue seemed to sag as she watched her brother walk away. She stood up suddenly and walked to where people were huddling around the protective glass barrier. Reed followed her, pushing people aside to make his way to the front.

He watched as his brother-in-law gave a thumb up sign to his family in the front. The younger man put on the protective gear Reed had worn a few weeks earlier and walked in. Ben, in a chair at the control console, tensed next to Reed.

Reed could feel the room holding their breath as they watched Johnny walk to the large rocket. Sue grabbed the console, her knuckles turning white with the pressure. Reed placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

Spencer and Victoria were silenced by the suspense, their eyes wide with anticipation.

Behind the glass wall, Johnny reached over, fiddled with the contraption a bit and, before Sue could say a word of protest, hit the "on" button.

The silence in the room was impermeable.

However, it only lasted a few seconds before the loud whirr of the rocket filtered through the air. The room broke into cheers and applause. Victoria and Spencer were already rushing to the door to greet their uncle as he walked out. A large smile was plastered on Ben's face as he got up to walk behind Sue's kids.

Sue's muscles had relaxed beneath Reed's hand. She turned to look at him and he was not surprised to see relief brightening her eyes.

Her head snapped sharply towards her brother as Johnny walked out of the room, grinning from ear to ear. Sue immediately stood up and made her way through the front of the crowd still whistling and patting each other on the back. Johnny was taking off his suit when his sister wrapped into a crushing hug.

Reed had followed her forward and stopped next to Ben, whose face was lit up like a Christmas tree. Johnny embraced Sue with one hand, the other around Spencer and Victoria's shoulders. The grin was still on his face and reminded Reed of the Cheshire cat.

"I told you it would all be ok!" Johnny exclaimed.

And as Reed surveyed the happy crowd around him and the relief and joy on Sue's face, he knew it would be.

**4444**

The next few weeks were a blur. The weekend after the rocket testing, Sue and her family had gone for a picnic. Johnny had pulled a too-busy-to-enjoy-life-because-I'm-working Reed from his lab and they had made a day of playing Frisbee, volleyball, and enjoying a day out in the park.

Ben, of course, had continued to tease Johnny and had added Reed to his list of never ending jokes about him and science. Sue had been busy fussing over her children's eating habits and rolling her eyes at the never ending banter.

She'd been more than overjoyed and relieved that nothing had happened with the rocket testing. Now, she felt a peace descending over her. Sue had all she could ask for. Her family was safe and Reed had come back into her life. While she knew it was nothing permanent, she would take him for as long as possible.

The only problem was that Spencer and Victoria were getting attached to Reed and she didn't want to know what would happen when Reed left one day. They wouldn't take it well. She was sure she would have to find a way to break the news to them. Sue sighed. She would figure it out when the time came. For now, she was content to keep things the way they were.

Johnny and Ben still had had a lot of work to do following the success of the rocket test. However, whatever was left was nothing compared to the stressful ordeal Sue had dealt with before.

Sue had also coaxed Reed out of his lab long enough to enjoy a meal at a restaurant. They had talked about nothing in particular or really significant, but it had just felt nice. Right.

When the hype surrounding everything rocket related had faded, Sue found herself sitting on the couch in front of the TV, Spencer and Victoria cuddled on either side of her, and Johnny asleep on the La-Z-Boy nearby. Her brother's respirations were slightly shallow and his pallor a shade paler than usual. Sue frowned, but quickly told herself that there was no reason to worry. It was probably just exhaustion.

Sue flipped through the channels aimlessly, trying to find a comfortable position that wouldn't bother her children. The more she tried to shift, the more she felt like a piece of meat between two hamburger buns. In the end, she settled back into the pillows with a sigh.

In the lab, Reed was still clinking away with his machine. It was becoming increasingly frustrating for him because he didn't think his work was getting him anywhere. Sue kept reminding him to be patient, but she knew her own patience was wearing thin with the situation as well. The more time Reed spent trying to figure out how to get home, the less time he spent with her, and the closer he was to leaving.

Her channel surfing was put to an end abruptly when Victoria exclaimed, "Ooh, Mom, keep this movie!"

Sue stopped. "Lord of the Rings?"

"Mhmm, she's obsessed." Spencer rubbed his face into Sue's upper arm sleepily. "She makes me watch it every time it's on. I think it's a disease."

"It is not," Victoria defended, sounding embarrassed. She peered over her mother's arm at her brother. "And you know you like it. All three of them." The teen looked back at her mom. "It's his guilty pleasure."

"Is not," Spencer mumbled.

"Is too." Victoria leaned back, making herself comfortable against Sue's shoulder.

"Shush, the both of you. You're gonna wake your uncle." Sue smiled at their antics. They reminded her so much of her and Johnny at that age. She glanced at her brother. He hadn't even stirred.

"Mom?" Spencer whispered timidly.

Sue tilted her head to the left, her cheek brushing the top of her son's head. "Hmm?"

"Is Reed moving in?"

Sue was startled by the question. "What? No. No, honey, he's not. I mean, not permanently, at least. Why do you ask?"

Spencer shrugged. "No reason." He was silent for a moment. His next words were barely audible, but Sue heard them as though he was screaming them in her ear. "Is he gonna be our new dad?"

Sue felt stricken. Is that what her children thought? That Reed was somehow going to become their new father? She knew that her kids liked Reed, but she now understood why they were still shying away from him. Fear of his permanence and what that would mean to their foundations as a family.

Sue was firm when she answered, her voice leaving no room for doubt. "No, Spence, he's not. He's not replacing your father."

"You mean Uncle Johnny," Victoria corrected softly.

"You guys, Reed's a friend. We're just helping him out. I'm not trying to stick him into our lives as a replacement for anyone. Ok?"

Sue felt the nods of their heads against her arms. They snuggled closer as she tightened her arms around them, feeling extremely protective.

"Sometimes I wish I could remember Dad." Spencer's voice was muffled.

"Me, too," Victoria added quietly, her voice thick. "I try to remember some stuff. Little things, like when he carried me home after Spencer was born. But, then, it's gone."

Sue's heart lodged itself in her throat. She swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that had welled in her eyes.

Her throat didn't work the first time, so she cleared it and tried again. "I'm sorry. I wish you remembered him too. Wish you'd gotten more time to share." She really did. She always wondered what her late husband's relationship would've been with his children. Would they have been close? Would they have bickered?

Sue sighed. What she did know was dwelling on the past wouldn't make the present any easier.

The TV had been abandoned as they all turned to their own thoughts. Sue turned it off, letting the silence envelope the room.

"I like Mr. Reed, though, Mom. He's a pretty cool guy. Wish he _could_ stay."

Sue kissed the top of Spencer's head. "You do, huh?"

"Mhmm. Yeah…" Her son's breathing evened out into sleep. Sue waited a few minutes before adjusting his head into a more comfortable position beneath her chin.

She leaned her head back into the couch and let out a long sigh. Whenever she thought she had everything figured out in life, something came in and made it just a little more complicated.

Victoria's sleepy voice startled Sue. She thought the younger girl had fallen asleep. "I like Reed, too, Mom." She yawned. "You deserve to be happy."

"Vicky, it's not…" _like that_, Sue finished silently.

"Uncle Johnny told me the story, Mom. The whole story. About how you and Reed met, and how and why you broke up," Victoria explained. Sue vowed to kill Johnny later. "Don't you always say that you can't hold someone's past against them… or the past against them… or whatever."

"Ok, so?" She sent a petulant glare to her sleeping brother, hoping he would receive it subconsciously.

"Well… he's here now, isn't he? That's something." Victoria rubbed her head against Sue's shoulder.

_Not for long_, Sue wanted to say, but she just bit her lip. She felt resigned and tired all of a sudden. "Doesn't matter, Toria. He's gonna go back to where he belongs. He won't stay here."

"I know, but still." Victoria sounded so hopeful. Sue stroked the teen's forehead with her fingertips, her daughter relaxing against her. Maybe she could take a little of that hope, too. There was a bright side to every situation, after all.

"When did you get so smart, huh?" Sue teased, nudging her gently.

"Mom, c'mon," Victoria protested. "We both know I was born smart."

Sue laughed. "Yeah, I suppose you were." She didn't know how long she continued sitting there, listening the quiet, even breathing of her children. She closed her own eyes and let the clinking and clattering coming from Reed's lab lull her into a peaceful sleep.

_To Be Continued…_


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** See previous chapters.

**Author's Note:** Chapter 12 is here! I didn't get any feedback from the last chapter, but I would still love to hear what you all think. So, please, if it isn't too much trouble, drop me a line. My email account is a lot happier when it's full. *grin*

Anyway, again, any mistakes are mine. But, please enjoy!

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick **

"And this wire links to this here." Reed pointed to the black cable attached to his machine. "And that's what powers the machine."

Sue was passing by the lab to the kitchen when she heard Spencer exclaim, "Wow!" There was some shuffling, followed by a curious question. So… why're you building this machine anyway? I mean, what's it gonna be used for?" Sue stopped just outside the door. She peered in. Her son was following Reed around the machine like an apprentice.

Sue held her breath at the hesitant question, half expecting Reed to tell Spencer the truth. There was a brief pause.

"Well, originally, I had planned it to directly link any kind of activity in space and send the signal into these watch receivers that the Fantastic Fo—uh, er… that this group of superheroes has."

Spencer laughed. "That's a nice story, Mr. Reed, but I don't think you got the memo." He patted Reed on the shoulder comfortingly.

Reed's eyes sparkled. "Oh, and what's that?"

Spencer pulled Reed down to his level. Looking around, he covered his mouth with the side of his hand conspiratorially, whisper shouting, "There's no such thing as superheroes."

"You don't say," Reed said, matching the younger boy's tone.

Spencer sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "I mean, I wish they were, but they're about as real as Santa Claus." He patted Reed again. "Sorry to be the one to break it to you."

Sue stifled a laugh. If only Spencer knew.

The scientist placed a hand to his heart. He hung his head. "I had no idea. Thank you, Spencer." Spencer gave him a sympathetic look. Reed looked back up and paused. "Wait…. Santa Claus isn't real?"

Spencer laughed again. "Mr. Reed!" he chastised.

The older man just winked at him and continued explaining to her son about the machine, tilting his head slightly to the side and smiling at Sue.

Sue started back, but then only shook her head. Of course Reed knew she had been standing there.

The longer he stayed, the longer he grew on her and her family. The more attached they became. She remembered her children's words from the night before and hoped that they could find some sort of balance. And Victoria was right. Reed was there now. That was what counted.

She stepped away from the lab and turned back towards the direction of the kitchen, bumping into Ben on the way, her steps a little lighter.

**4444**

"Johnny? You ok?" Sue asked her brother, whose head was held between his hands, fingers massaging his temples.

He didn't look up, but nodded, quickly stopping and swallowing heavily. The pale features and sheen of sweat had Sue's concern resurfacing.

Ben sat down next to Johnny, a hand on the nape of the younger man's neck. "Kid? You not answerin' ain't helpin'."

Johnny opened and closed his mouth silently, his fingers pressing harder into his head, a strangled moan escaping his pursed lips. Eyes squeezed tightly shut, his breathing shallow and harsh, Sue felt the urge to jump up and call the ambulance. But she didn't.

"Johnny, please." It was a plea. She needed to know what was wrong.

"He eat anythin'?" Ben asked, rubbing her brother's neck.

"No. Nothing. He's only been up a few hours." Johnny's eyes fluttered. Sue leaned forward, her forehead practically touching his. "Is it your head?"

Johnny began to nod again, groaning instead as he dropped his head further, the palms of his hands grounding into the sides of his head.

"Easy breaths, kiddo, easy breaths," Ben soothed. "Yer not runnin' a race. Slow it down. In and out. That's it."

Sue and Ben's eyes met over the top of Johnny's head briefly. Her friend's look of worry pierced her soul. She felt panicked all of a sudden, the room feeling too small.

Sue got up quickly, almost knocking her chair down, and headed to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Grabbing the pain relievers and a cup of water, she raced back to her brother, placing them on the table.

"Johnny, try and take these." Sue opened the capsule, palmed a couple of tablets and tried to ease his hands away from his head.

"Should we call an ambulance?" Ben questioned, his fingers stopping their soothing motion, but stayed at the base of the former blonde's neck.

"No." Johnny's voice was low and rough. Sue and Ben immediately turned their attention back to him. She relaxed slightly at hearing his voice.

"Johnny, I think that'd be—"

"No," Johnny repeated, his voice slightly stronger. He still hadn't lifted his head or opened his eyes. "No… hospital. 'M fine."

"Yer not fine, Johnny," Ben countered. "Ya were practically hyperventilating."

"'M fine. Really. 'M good. It was… just a headache." Johnny's eyes fluttered open into slits as though it still hurt to open them completely. His fingers had loosened their harsh grip on his head.

"Kid, that was one hell of a headache." Ben removed his hand as Johnny eased his head up slowly. Sue shoved the pain killers at him and he took them gratefully. "I still think ya should go ta the doctor's. Just in case. That just wasn't normal. We're worried aboutcha, Twinkle Toes."

"I told you, I'm fine." Johnny rubbed his eyes and his forehead, the headache having sapped his energy reserves. "I'll just go lie down or something."

"Johnny, you scared the crap out of us just now," Sue admonished. "So don't go telling us that everything's just right and dandy when it's not. You're not fine."

"Sue, please." Johnny closed his eyes again and held the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. "It's a headache, is all. Promise. No need to alert the media. I've just been tired from all this running around. I'm just gonna…" He stood up and swayed violently. Ben caught his upper arm to steady him, Sue on his other side mirroring the older man. Johnny forehead lolled forward so it was leaning on his sister's shoulder. "…lie down." He swallowed thickly.

"Damn straight yer gonna lie down. And yer gonna stay there 'til we say you can get up," Ben ordered, moving in to take the brunt of Johnny's weight. Carefully, he lifted at back and knee, tucking Johnny's head under his chin and walked into the living room, Sue following.

Sue knew that if he hadn't been feeling like crap, Johnny would've protested. He did try to shift out of Ben's arms, but the older man's grip only tightened and Johnny gave up, resigning himself to being manhandled. She was sure Johnny was glad he didn't have an audience to see his moment of weakness. Reed had taken the kids to school and then gone to Von Doom Industries for his work. Sue was also glad they weren't there. She didn't want her kids to panic and worry as well.

Ben set her brother down on the couch, removing his hand from behind Johnny last.

"I could've walked, y'know," Johnny huffed, irritated.

"Yeah, I would've liked ta see you try," Ben shot back.

"If you wanted to carry me so bad, Big Guy, all ya had to do was ask," Johnny teased.

"If ya didn't already have a headache, I'd've given you one." Ben stood up and moved over, giving Sue access to sit down next to the younger man. "And don't worry. No one'll ever know. Your secret's safe with me."

"Screw you," Johnny spat, though it came out sounding more like a groan. He closed his eyes, but batted at Sue's hands as soon as they made contact with his forehead. "I'm fine, Sue."

"Are you trying to convince yourself or me?" Sue asked. Johnny didn't respond. She gave him a once over, nodding. His color had improved and his face wasn't pinched in pain anymore. He just looked… drained.

Within the space of a few minutes, Johnny fell asleep, one arm covering his eyes. Ben and Sue breathed out at the same time, Sue grabbing the blanket from the back of the couch to drape it over him.

Ben eyed his friend once more before beginning his trek out of the room. "I have to get to a meeting, Suzie. I'll just tell them Johnny's feeling under the weather. No worries."

Sue gave him a watery smile. "Thanks, Ben. What would I do without you?"

Ben shrugged sheepishly. "Just call me if anything happens." He glanced at the sleeper and shook his head. "Stubborn idiot. I'll be back later today, ok, Suzie?"

Sue sat down, feeling drained herself. "Yeah, ok."

Ben waved goodbye and walked out, the worry lines still etched into his face.

The silence filled the apartment like a thick fog, punctured only by Johnny's even breathing. Sue stood and moved to the sofa. Lifting Johnny's blanket covered legs, she sat down and placed them on her lap. She leaned back, hoping the fabric would swallow her worry and fear.

Snatching a pillow and hugging it to her, Sue choked back a sob and let her tears fall.

**4444**

"Reed, dinner's ready."

"Coming!"

There were a couple more kinks in the machine he was perfecting and then he would be finished. Finally. He'd never thought it would actually get done, had almost resigned himself to possibly living in a reality he didn't belong in.

But being around Sue's family made him want to see his own all the more. Maybe they could talk about having kids. Maybe they'd turn out like Spencer and Victoria.

Maybe.

He just hoped it would actually work. Reed had no real idea how he got to 2020, so even when he finished his machine, he had no real way of knowing how to get back.

Reed began putting his tools away and moved to glance at his watch when he heard Sue call his name from the door. She was tapping her foot testily, a scowl on her face. Strangely, the expression on Sue's face seemed vaguely familiar.

He spoke before she scolded him. "Sue, I know. Dinner. I'm almost done cleaning up. I'll be right there."

Sue huffed. "You said that over an hour ago, Reed. Dinner's over."

Sue walked into the lab, eyeing the machine vaguely before turning irritated eyes toward him.

"I guess I did it again, huh?" Reed sat down on his stool with a sigh.

Sue grabbed a stool and sat down across from him. "Yeah, you did."

"Sue I don't know what to say except I'm sorry. I didn't know I'd been in here for that long."

"Look, Reed. Don't apologize. I get it, I do. You wanna go home. I mean I don't know what I'd do if I had to be away from my family for so long, so I get it. But…." She rubbed her temples. "This is ridiculous." She gestured to the lab.

Reed winced slightly, knowing Sue would lay one into him. He felt a little uncomfortable. He knew he should've been at dinner. Even his stomach growled to remind him. There was also a sense of déjà vu; he knew this had happened to him—just a different time, another Sue. And how screwed up was that? He should have learned the first time around.

"Was this what you used to do with your Sue? Sit in the lab all day and neglect your family?"

"Neglect is such a strong word, and—"

"Oh, she must've been furious!" Sue clenched her fists and stood up to pace. "Word of advice, Reed: I—the other Sue—is a family person. Before you, I'm sure, it was her and Johnny. And while you don't have kids yet, I'm sure she wants to. Families need a lot of attention, Reed. Take it from someone who knows."

"I understand that," Reed said softly.

Sue seemed to deflate at his tone and sat back down. "Do you?" Reed was silent. He felt she really needed to get this off her chest and he didn't want to say anything anyway for fear of his mouth betraying him. "I'm not saying your work isn't important… but, it just seems like you've come far from the way you used to be. Please don't go back to being that person."

Reed thought vaguely of his other self. He wasn't like that… was he? The other him lived alone. Probably no friends. Just his work for company. Was he falling back into old habits?

"Sue, I don't think—" He began defending.

The blonde woman's eyes flashed angrily. Maybe he shouldn't have spoken. "That's exactly it, Reed. You don't think!"

"Excuse me?" Reed felt affronted, defense immediately going up at her verbal attack. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you only think about your work, the next scientific discovery, but never about Sue or her feelings. I mean that's one of the reasons it ended between us—you just don't pay attention."

"That is not the reason it ended between us!" He pointed his index finger accusingly, emotions boiling. "And I do too pay attention to Sue and her needs, her emotions."

"Ok, well, when was the last time you took her out or just sat around and talked?" Sue crossed her arms challengingly.

Reed opened his mouth to retort and immediately found that the only think he could do was gaped like a fish. When was the last time they'd gone out or talked? He was chagrined by the thought.

Sue smirked, looking smug.

Reed sighed. "I still care, Sue. It's why I married you, er, her. God, this is confusing." He rubbed his head and then looked directly into Sue's eyes. "I love my wife, my family. I've just been distracted, that's all. I love science, too."

Sue's smirk softened into a sad smile. "But who do you love more?"

Before Reed could answer, however, Johnny stopped by the entrance to the lab, leaning heavily on the door. He looked like he'd seen better days. His breaths were coming out in heavy puffs and he looked like he was in pain. Sue immediately stood up and walked to him, worry wrapped around every word when she spoke. "Johnny, what is it?"

Reed stood. His own worry ratcheted up when Johnny didn't answer right away.

"Sue," Johnny wheezed finally. "I think something's wrong."

Reed immediately lunged and reached out his hands, wishing for the umpteenth time for his powers, to catch Johnny as the younger man's eyes rolled up into his head and he fell.

_To Be Continued…_


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**Author's Note:** First off, a big thank you to those who took time out and reviewed. To Kitty and True Believer, since I wasn't able to send you PMs, Johnny is my favorite, too! Please know, though, that whatever goes on with all of these characters… it's for the benefit of the story. Having said that, I think I enjoyed messing with Johnny a little too much. *grin* Again, thank you all for the compliments and the wonderful words of encouragement. I hope you enjoy this chapter as it took me forever to write because I wanted to make it work as best as it could. I hope to hear your feedback should you choose to leave it!

As usual, any mistakes are mine. Now, on with the story.

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

Reed made his way up to the ICU in record time. Sue's kids were at home, sleeping. He'd left them a note saying Sue would drop in soon, but he was sure they would just sleep through the rest of the night without noticing any of the missing adults. Their babysitter, a nice elder lady who lived a level beneath them, had all the numbers in case she needed to get in contact with anyone.

The ward was pretty quiet this time of night, visiting hours were over, but Sue had pulled a couple of strings in order to stay. Being in her position had its perks, he supposed. And even if it hadn't, Reed didn't think anything would have pulled her away from Johnny's side at that moment.

Reed moved past the empty nurse's station, not needing them to direct him to the room Reed knew his brother-in-law occupied. Of course, when he stepped into the room, it was a lot worse than he'd imagined.

According to the doctors, Johnny's cancer was back. With a vengeance. Sue hadn't seemed so surprised as much as she'd been angry, while Ben had been subdued about it. While the hospital staff was trying to make Johnny as comfortable as possible, the doctor hadn't been too hopeful about treatment. He had calmly and gravely told Sue that her brother probably had a few days to live based on the ferocity with which the tumor had regenerated. Sue had argued with the well intentioned doctor. She'd firmly asserted that her brother had beaten the disease before and would do so again.

Reed shook his head. He knew one thing for sure. Sue wasn't going to let her brother go without a fight.

The first thing that hit him as he entered was the smell, the antiseptic that seemed to be the hospital's brother in arms. Johnny was pale and still, lying on the bed, several different wires attached to him. His eyes were shadowed and bruised looking, his skin a grayish tone beneath the oxygen canola set up to help him breathe. Johnny looked so small and fragile; the hospital bed looking like it would swallow him up at any moment.

The lights were turned down and the machines' heavy beeping sounds were the only things filling the silence. Reed moved toward Sue, who was sleeping face down near Johnny's left hand, carefully avoiding the IV there. Gently touching his hand to her shoulder, he shook her.

"Sue," Reed whispered, leaning closely so as not to disturb the quiet. "Sue, wake up."

"Mmm," Sue murmured sleepily, shifting her head and prying her eyes open owlishly. "What time's'it?"

"It's just past midnight," Reed uttered. "Why don't you go home and get some real sleep. I'll stay here and watch Johnny."

Sue shook her head stubbornly. "What if he wakes up? He needs me."

Reed glance quickly at Johnny's still form and then back at Sue. "If he wakes up, I'll call you immediately, ok?"

Sue shook her head again and sat up, rubbing at her eyes. "I can't leave, Reed. I won't."

"You need to rest, Sue," Reed pressed. "You need your strength."

The blonde woman shook her head again. "I'm not leaving, Reed, so just stop."

Reed sighed and pulled up a chair on the opposite side of Johnny's bed. They sat in heavy silence, Reed watching Sue watch her brother. Her hair had fallen out of its tight ponytail and she looked beyond exhausted, but Reed knew she would not let that get the best of her. He wished he could do more for her, rather than just sitting there. Reed didn't like feeling helpless. He was scientist, a doer. But, really, all he could do was sit there and be a comforting presence. At least, he hoped he was even doing that. Sue looked beyond comfort, but she wasn't the only stubborn one.

Sue yawned and put her head back down onto her forearms, moving her hand back to its position on Johnny's forearm. Reed watched her eyes close and listened to her breathing even out. It was only until he knew Sue was fast asleep that he allowed himself to slump back in his chair and rub at his own tired eyes.

He had not told Sue yet, but before Johnny had collapsed and they were in the lab talking, he had done some research on himself in the current timeline. Apparently, Reed Richards of 2020 still lived, although with a lot less of a public lifestyle.

Reed sat there and pondered his doppelganger's life. He hadn't wanted to do it at first, too scared to find something he didn't want to know. But, in the end, his curiosity had won out and he'd caved. While at work with his friends, Reed had used the company's computer to access information on this timeline's Reed Richards.

Not much had come up except for a name and address and some failed attempts to further his career with Von Doom Industries shortly after their flight into space. Reed marveled at that fact. He would have thought that something which had ended up being successful would have guaranteed Reed a job with Viktor.

Reed leaned back in his chair and tilted his head back so that he was staring at the ceiling. As much as Ben and Johnny considered and teased him about being an egghead, he was afraid that 2020's Reed had fulfilled that to a fault. He'd been so much of an egghead, he had never allowed himself to indulge in anything else, let anyone in. Future Reed was as much of a loner and absorbed in his work as people claimed he was.

Now, he considered the failed space mission to be a blessing—in more ways than one. He had gotten a family, powers, created new inventions, and most importantly, he'd gotten Sue.

Future Reed was probably at home now, lost in his latest failed scientific experiment. He hadn't even talked to Ben in years. He wondered if his doppelganger knew what he was missing. Or if he ever would.

"Anyone ever told you that you think too loudly?" The weak, raspy voice made Reed turn his head. Johnny looked like death warmed over, but Reed could see the solid determination in his brother-in-law, as he struggled to maintain awareness.

Reed smiled at him and scooted his chair closer. "It's been said."

"By Ben, I wager." Reed nodded. Johnny tried to shift, but grimaced. He shifted his head ever so slightly toward his sister, still sleeping soundly. "She ok?"

"She's just tired. She's really worried about you," Reed stated, keeping his voice low. "We all are."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout passing out in your lab." Johnny smirked, a shadow of his usual one. "Not really my style."

Reed laughed out loud. Sue stirred, but didn't wake. He clamped his jaw down. "How are you feeling? You need me to call someone? Wake Sue up?"

Johnny shook his head and turned slightly green before stopping to realize that might not have been a good idea. "'M fine, really. Been there, done that, y'know?"

"Yeah," was all Reed could manage. There was a brief pause of silence. Reed looked again at Sue and wondered if she would be angry with him for not waking her up now that Johnny was awake. But, he knew she needed the rest and Reed, being selfish or not, wanted some time alone with Johnny.

"You're thinking again," Johnny said, his eyes hovering at Reed's, as though seeing through him.

"Guilty." Reed put up his hands in surrender.

"You think too much, Reed," Johnny stated, the oxygen tube making a soft hissing sound as Johnny inhaled. "That's always been your problem."

"I'm sorry?" Reed raised an eyebrow, intrigue surfacing before irritation.

"Thinking. About what you should do next, your scientific work, your friends…. My sister." Johnny inhaled raggedly and licked his dry lips. Reed immediately stood and grabbed the ice chips from the table next to the bed. He passed two small ones over the younger man's lips. Johnny nodded his head in gratitude.

"Thinking's not bad, Johnny," Reed asserted, sitting back down.

The younger man practically huffed, but didn't have much energy except to muster a pained grimace. "No, but like I said, you think too much. When you think too much, you leave a large possibility for doubt to find its way into your head. And we all know that stops you from doing a lot of things." Johnny paused and shifted, looking down at his sister again. Reed saw him run his thumb over the underside of her palm softly, careful not to wake her. He shifted his head again and immediately closed his eyes against some invisible onslaught of pain.

Reed quickly stood up and began reaching for the call button. Johnny's hand on his arm stopped him. "No… don't."

"Johnny, you need to rest and you're obviously in pain. Please," Reed pleaded, "let me help you."

"'M fine, Reed. Just… it comes and goes." Reed gave him his best unconvinced face. "Really, sit down." He patted the scientist's arm. "Really."

Reed reluctantly found his seat again. Johnny closed his eyes, swallowing heavily before he reopened them.

"You ever think about dying, Reed?"

The scientist's head snapped to attention, caught off guard by the soft question. He scratched his head, considering. He shrugged. "I suppose everyone has at some point or another."

"Well, I've thought about it. A lot. Since, y'know." Johnny wasn't looking at him, but at Sue, his eyes far away. "I've thought about burial or cremation, the afterlife, what it might hold, and if there even is one. I've thought about my life and what I've accomplished and what I've still yet to do." He paused, swallowing thickly. "But, mostly, I've thought about Sue, Spencer, and Victoria. About leaving them behind, what it would do to them, how, no matter how prepared, not ready I am to let them go. And how much they really mean to me."

Johnny blinked quickly, seeming to erase the gathered tears in his eyes which Reed pretended he didn't notice. The older man was swallowing past the lump in his throat.

"Spencer and Victoria… I love them and I wish I could be around to watch them grow up, go to college, get married. I wish I could be the loveable great uncle to their kids, but uh… we don't always get what we want, do we, Reed?"

"Johnny, stop talking like that, you're gonna be fine." Reed was feeling a great surge of respect and fear for the man Sue's kid brother had become.

"Reed, I want to know that Sue will have someone who's there for her. She deserves the best, and she hasn't always gotten it. I've done the best I could do. I just want my sister to be happy."

"She won't be happy to know you're going around talking like this, Johnny," Reed admonished quietly.

"Which is why you're not telling her." Johnny rolled his head in Reed's direction. The older man didn't like lying to Sue, but her brother seemed adamant about not telling her anything about this particular conversation. "Please, Reed." Johnny's eyes were suddenly more alert, boring into Reed's. "I need you to promise me that. Just take care of her. Please. Make sure she's ok."

"You know I will, Johnny," Reed promised. "In any way I can, I will." A cold fear gripped him as he watched Johnny's eyes droop, the energy reserves he had used up during the conversation spent.

"Good…. 'S good," Johnny muttered. His eyes fluttered, but stayed closed.

"Johnny?" Reed whispered, but Johnny's breaths had deepened. Reed sat back in his chair heavily, weariness settling in his bones. He glanced briefly at Sue, Johnny's hand now in a more secure hold of his sister's fingers.

It was a strange thing, sitting there watching two people who were a part of his life in every way, and yet not. They were just as much Sue and Johnny in this warped reality as his own were. He wanted to protect them fiercely. Always share in their joys and grief. And just be a part of their lives.

It was at that moment, he realized why his Sue had gotten angry with him and why the same woman sitting across from him had become increasingly annoyed with his time in the lab.

They hadn't been angry with what he was doing in the lab. Rather, they had been dismayed by what he wasn't doing.

Johnny and Ben had given up a lot and still remained loyal to Sue and her children. They were, despite this world's absence of him, a family. Unfortunately, it had taken a visit to another version of his world and his brother-in-law collapsing for him to reach a conclusion.

He couldn't—wouldn't—live without Sue, Ben, and Johnny in his life. Powers or no powers.

With conviction, Reed stood up, stretching the kinks out of his sore muscles. He had made Johnny a promise.

And he was going to make sure he followed through.

_To be continued…_


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** The usual.

**Author's Note:** This update was supposed to go up on Wednesday, and I'm sorry it's coming a little late, but I had family visiting. So, I hope you can forgive me. *smile* Anyway, this is the next to last chapter plus an epilogue. The only thing left to finish right now is the epilogue and I hope to get it done as soon as possible so there isn't a wait between chapters. Thank you to those who took the time to review and/or add this story to their alerts! It is always more than appreciated! This chapter was a little depressing to write, so your feedback would be like a massive chocolate cake to my sweet tooth!

Anyway, enough rambling and on with the story. I hope you enjoy!

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**Chapter 14**

Johnny died on a Tuesday.

The funeral was held on Thursday.

Reed strangely wondered why in the movies the rain always poured afterward, as though grieving with the family, because that didn't happen to them.

The sky above was clear blue, the sun brightly shining, mocking the sadness below.

The scientist had helped with the funeral and wake preparations, but for the life of him couldn't bring himself to remember any of it.

People walked past him as though he didn't exist, making their way to hug Sue dramatically and offer their condolences. He didn't take it offensively. After all, no one really knew who he was anyway.

Spencer and Victoria stayed constantly huddled together, shying away from strangers and disappearing somewhere in the house halfway through the wake.

Ben's stoicism was played like an Oscar winner, meeting no one's eyes, the picture of strength. Deep down, Reed knew, he was breaking with every breath and hand he shook. The mask would only drop briefly when Sue wasn't around, his face crumbling, only to be covered quickly by his hands as he silently grieved the loss of a partner and friend.

Reed felt numb. His heart had a hole of despair that was quickly growing larger. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Johnny was supposed to be alive, happy, healthy, and aggravating the hell out of his family. Reed felt an onslaught of tears well up and he blinked rapidly.

Johnny was—had been—the most vibrant out of all of them, embracing everything. Life. And even death. This universe was wrong. It was all wrong.

He sighed, feeling defeated. He knew he couldn't change anything. It wasn't his place, nor was it his world. Reed tried to tell himself that if his other self hadn't gone off after the mission, maybe, just maybe, things might have worked out differently. But, it had already come to pass. All he could do was try to make it easier on everyone and just be there for them.

He owed them that much.

"It must be so hard on her," a voice stated next to him.

Reed turned to the side to see a kindly looking older woman dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. His eyes softened. Without asking, he knew she was talking about Sue. "Yes, it is. They were really close."

At the funeral, her face had been dry. The tears had welled up behind her eyes, fighting for dominance. And she had fought them right back, not letting a single one fall. Reed glanced at her across the room accepting everyone's condolences half heartedly. Her body was there, but her mind wasn't.

Sue's eyes played a myriad of emotions, her face carefully blank. She hadn't really eaten anything since Tuesday. She took care of her children, of Ben, even of him, but she hardly paid any notice to herself. She was stuck to her children's sides like glue, always making sure they were nearby. Which explained why she was looking around for them and not making eye contact with the person talking to her.

"Oh, I know they were." The older woman sniffed, a black gloved hand reaching out to tuck a grey strand of hair behind her ear. "The poor, poor dear. Are you a family friend?"

Reed startled slightly but quickly regained his composure. It was the first time anyone had taken notice enough to ask. "I am, yeah. Johnny is—was—like a younger brother to me." He extended a hand. "I'm Reed."

The woman put her handkerchief down and huffed softly. She shook his hand. "Oh, how silly of me. I'm Sophia."

"A pleasure." Reed gave a soft smile. The first one in days. "Do you work with Sue and Johnny?"

"I did. I'm retired," Sophia added at Reed's quizzical look. "I was an executive assistant to Sue. I've seen a lot in my time, but Johnny and Sue's relationship was special. Especially after her husband died. That boy did father duty like they were his own. Never even complained. They both had such love and respect for each other, and yet still acted like they were kids sometimes." She laughed then, a sad smile gracing her wrinkled face. "I remember all too well what it's like to lose a brother."

Reed didn't know what to say to that. Opened his mouth to say, "I'm sorry," but was cut off with a hand in the air before the words left his mouth.

"I know what you're going to say, young man, and I don't want to hear it." The voice was stern, but the expression was not. "All I'm saying is that it's something that you never get over. But, it gets better with time. I take it that you're closer to Sue than just a friend—"

"Wha—"

"—so, take care of her, young man. She deserves something stable."

"You sound like Johnny."

"Well, I'm sure he'd have wanted the same thing."

"Yes, Ma'am." Reed felt like he needed to salute, but refrained from doing so. He was getting a lecture from a woman old enough to be his grandmother. Johnny would have laughed.

Sophia bade him goodbye not long after that. She gave a big hug to Sue on her way out, sniffling loudly.

People continued to come and go faces somber. Whispers filtered towards Reed from different locations. Curious eyes followed him wherever he went, eyebrows raised in silent question. He went about his business, making sure there was always enough food, making sure everything was ok when it wasn't. He ignored the prying eyes.

When the last person had filed out, Reed couldn't have been happier. He and Ben silently cleaned up, his friend swiping at his eyes every once in awhile. Reed's eyes were dry, his heart bleeding as he scooped up another plastic cup and put in the trash.

It took a little less than an hour for the place to look tidy enough. It took a little less than a minute after that for them to throw themselves on the couch in exhaustion.

Reed let out a long sigh. Ben leaned back, face to the ceiling, eyes closed. Had it not been so quiet in the room, Reed might have never heard his friend whisper, "I'm really glad you're here, Reed."

Reed's throat closed up and he turned to Ben. The other man never reopened his eyes, relaxing into the couch. The scientist watched his friend's breaths even out and deepen.

"Me, too," Reed murmured to the silent room.

He was just resigning himself to the comfort of the sofa, sleep washing over his overtaxed body, when he abruptly sat up. Glancing around, realization dawned. Sue and her kids were missing.

Standing up tiredly, muscles protesting, he grabbed the blanket from behind Ben and draped it over his friend.

The kids' rooms, Sue's room, and all the other rooms checked were empty. Reed had even checked his lab with no success. The only one left was Johnny's now eerily silent room. He moved towards it and paused by the open door.

Everything remained undisturbed. The bed was messy, Johnny having forgotten to fix it, his pajama haphazardly strewn across the top. The closet was still open, three new additions occupying the space. Backed into the wall of the closet, shoes roughly pushed aside, shirts hanging overhead, sat Sue, her two children cuddled into her sides.

She was openly crying, face red, eyes and lips swollen. Her hands were busy stroking the hair of her kids; legs stretched out in front of her and crossed at the ankles.

Reed stayed just outside the door. He didn't want to interrupt them, but he couldn't keep his eyes away.

Spencer shifted so that his head was lying in his mother's lap. He looked to be half asleep, probably exhausted from the long few days. Victoria wiped at her face and snuggled closer to Sue.

"Mom?" Spencer piped up sleepily. "Mommy?" Reed's heart clenched. Sometimes he really did forget how young Spencer really was.

"What is it, Sweetie?" Sue looked down, her had running down her son's cheek.

"I miss Uncle Johnny." The little boy sniffed, voice small.

"I know you do, Honey, I know." Sue choked out a sob. "I do, too." Her voice broke. "I do, too."

"Me three," Victoria added, her hands squeezing her brother's shoulders. Reed's heart plummeted at the quiet conversation. He felt like an intruder watching them, but his legs wouldn't move.

"He loved you both," Sue breathed shakily, "so much."

"We know." Victoria's voice quivered. Spencer nodded his head, unable to say anything else as a fresh wave of tears assaulted him. He turned and buried his face in his mother's stomach.

"I'm here," Sue soothed, hugging Spencer closer, shaking with him. Victoria made a whimpering noise and closed in on her mother and brother, hugging them, and completing the circle. Sue clutched them tightly. "I'm still here."

So was Reed.

He wiped the silent tears from his eyes and walked away from the room, squaring his shoulders.

He had a promise to keep.

**4444**

"Sue, I want to ask you to do something for me."

"Anything."

"When I leave tomorrow, I want you to go to this address."

Sue was confused but took the paper Reed offered her. The machine was finally finished after weeks of stalling due to Johnny's death. Sue still couldn't think about her brother without tears filling her eyes. The paper in her hands blurred suddenly. She took a deep breath and looked back up at Reed.

"I don't understand. What's at this address?"

Reed was looking at her intensely. "Me."

Sue's eyebrows furrowed. "You… what, I—"

Reed covered her hands with his. "I know it's hard to take in now, but it's the only way I can be here… even when I'm not."

Sue shook her head. It was too much. "Reed, no. It'd be too weird."

That was the hope she'd been waiting for? It made her feel conflicted, hopeful, and sad all at once. It was good to know she had a chance at happiness with Reed in her life; sad because she would have to start over again. The pang of loneliness hit her more sharply than she expected and she felt nauseous for a moment. She turned away from Reed.

"Besides, it wouldn't be the same." She paused. "He's not you."

Reed gripped her shoulders and turned her around gently. "But he is me, Sue. I know it's difficult to start over, but I already talked to him. He knows everything."

"You told him about us? About me?" Anger made her voice harsher. She didn't care. She felt betrayed. Reed had gone off behind her back and told his other self about her family. About… her. She didn't know whether to thank him or slap him. But, she did feel the urge to shove him into a wall.

"I told him about my situation and that I'm staying with you," Reed defended quickly. "He was a little… overwhelmed, but that's to be expected, I guess. But, it's up to you if you wanna explain the rest." He gripped her hands more firmly and raised her chin. Sue made eye contact, her blue ones studying his brown. She saw pleading and sincerity and felt her heart cave right there.

The few weeks after Johnny's death and she was losing Reed, too. She missed her brother fiercely and still grieved for him. When she woke up in the morning, she half expected her brother to be sitting at the kitchen table grinning. It remained empty.

And Reed had come back into her life and taken residence in her heart again. Now that he was leaving, she didn't know how or if she could handle that. Then, Reed said something that made Sue believe that she would be able to.

"Sue, I promised him." Reed's head was down, staring intently at their joined hands. His adam's apple bobbed. "I promised, Johnny. And I can't let him down. I won't."

Sue felt a surge of love for Reed then. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but held back. "You promised Johnny?" She was slightly wondrous of how that conversation had occurred without her bearing witness.

Reed nodded seriously. He raised his head, eyes suspiciously bright. Sue felt her own eyes well with tears and quickly reached up to brush them away. She swallowed audibly and straightened her body. "Then I owe it to you and Johnny to uphold that promise as well." Her voice broke on her brother's name and lost volume after that.

Reed looked grateful as he brushed a stray tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, "Thank you."

_**To be Continued…**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**Author's Note:** This is it—the last chapter, followed by the epilogue! It has been a fun ride and I thank you all for taking it with me. I know the last chapter was kinda depressing, and I'm sorry, but it had to be done. For those who took the time to leave feedback, you have done more for me than you know. I wouldn't have been able to finish without the words of encouragement. So, thank you! For those who have just read and hopefully enjoyed, a thank you goes out as well. I have posted this chapter and the epilogue together, just so I wouldn't leave you hanging. *smile* I hope it is to your satisfaction! I look forward to your thoughts and feedback!

More importantly, I hope you enjoy! Take care and until next time….

**Timing is Everything**

**By: Pinkchick**

**Chapter 15**

"Wish me luck." Sue gave him an encouraging smile as Reed turned on the machine.

"Sue, I want you to know that I really am sorry for having dropped in on you like this, for not being in your life before, for leaving again." Reed looked around the lab. "And for Johnny."

Sue shook her head dismissively, sniffling softly. "Stop it, Reed." Her voice was demanding but gentle. "It wasn't you who left the first time. Stop feeling guilty for something you never did. And I'm glad you dropped in." She laughed. "I forgot how much I've missed having you in my life. And," She jabbed at his chest with her finger, "don't you dare apologize for Johnny. That was no one's fault. No one's."

Reed nodded in understanding. His mouth couldn't formulate anything to say.

Sue gave him a watery smile and moved to hug him fiercely, a small cry escaping her lips as her arms encircled his neck. Reed hugged her back just as fervently. "You tell your Sue that she's a lucky woman."

He knew that this was the last time he would see Sue. At least, 2020's Sue. Earlier in the evening, they'd all had dinner together. Reed had just enjoyed sitting back and watching Victoria and Spencer interact. Enjoyed talking to Ben about everything and nothing. Enjoyed being with family. The family was learning to cope. Slowly. Reed was going to miss them. All of them. It struck him that their dinner together had essentially been goodbye, even if they didn't know it.

He had no idea what Sue was going to tell them, but Reed trusted her to figure it out in a way that wouldn't hurt any of them.

Even after everything, he couldn't shake the guilty feeling that filled his heart at the prospect of leaving.

"Reed," Sue's voice next to his ear. "You think too much."

Reed laughed. He shook with it. Sue's eyebrows went up as she stood back. When his laughter died down, he squeezed her shoulders. "It's been said."

Her eyebrows rose. After a moment of what Reed could only assume was contemplation, she shrugged and shook her head.

"I really don't know if I can handle watching you leave, so I'm gonna go now." Sue took a few steps towards the lab door, stopping to look over her shoulder, her face a myriad of emotions.

"Ok."

"But, Reed?"

"Yeah?"

"I am glad you've been here. For everything. I'm gonna miss you." She was already at the door. "Goodbye, Reed."

With that, she was gone.

"Goodbye, Sue," Reed said to the empty lab, loud enough that he hoped she heard.

He stood there for a few silent minutes not really knowing what to do. His eyes flicked around the room until they landed on the object of his obsession. Reed forced his muscles to move and got to work. Not bothering to take off his lab coat, he lifted his eyes to the ceiling briefly before hitting the on button.

The machine made a whirring noise and Reed closed his eyes, ready to get back home. But nothing happened.

Opening his eyes, Reed stared at the machine in contempt. He waited a little longer. Maybe it just needed time to load.

After fifteen minutes of nothing, the scientist sat down heavily, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. In frustration, he kicked the contraption with all the force he could muster. Not feeling satisfied, he kicked it again, an angry growl escaping him.

With a defeated sigh, he slumped in his seat, head resting on the table beside the large metal object.

He didn't notice it when sleep came and dragged him under.

**4444**

Reed woke up startled, a piece of paper sticking to the side of his face. Semi disgusted, he pulled it away from his face and smoothed it out. It was the blueprint to his machine, his notes scrawled messily along the margin of the paper.

Dazedly, he realized that it hadn't worked. His own machine had betrayed him. What would he tell Sue? At the rate he was going, he would never get back home.

He sat up and rolled his neck, flexing his back to sort out the kinks. He stretched his arms above his head and then moved them backwards. His arms hit the chair behind him. That was weird. He didn't recall it being so close.

Reed turned around. With wide eyes, he realized the chair wasn't close. In fact, it was at least a few feet away. He brought his hands in front of him, examining them. With the same strange fascination he'd had the first time he'd seen it, Reed stretched his arms above his head and found them touching the ceiling.

With nervous excitement, he stood up quickly, knocking his chair over. He looked around his lab. _His_ lab. Not the one from another reality which he had practically built from scratch, but the one he'd spent years in. He couldn't believe it. It had worked. It had actually worked.

He was home.

Everything was as it should be. To make sure, because Reed still couldn't quite believe it, he picked up the discarded newspaper from the table and found the date **June 29, 2005 **written in the corner.

"June 29th?" Reed muttered, baffled. He stood up and walked around the lab. "But that means I've only been gone since… last night? What the—?"

"Johnny, if you don't hurry up, there'll be no point in going out."

Reed's head twisted towards the lab door, heart caught in his throat. That was Sue's voice. He heralded himself towards the exit so fast, he knocked over a few of his things. But he didn't care. He needed to see her. Make sure she was truly real.

"Johnny!" Sue called again.

There was a muffled reply followed by the sound of something hitting the wall.

Reed made it to the door and stepped out of his lab. His wife was walking, back turned away from him, towards the bedrooms. Well, it looked more like she was pacing when she stopped and began tapping her foot impatiently.

"Sue?" Reed's voice caught on that one word, but it was enough to make Sue turn around.

Her arms were crossed and a flash of irritation lit her eyes before disappearing quickly. "Reed?" She raised her eyebrows, assessing his disheveled form. Well, the scientist may have forgotten to clean himself up a little, but he didn't have time for that now. He walked towards her. "You sleep in your lab again? It's called a bed, Reed. I swear it's like you've got cotton stuffed in your ears or something for all the good it does to—"

Reed silenced her next words with his lips. She stiffened against him, but immediately melted in his embrace. Reed kissed her more fervently, his grip tightening around her back. He'd missed her. More than she'd ever know.

By the time he let go of Sue, they were both breathless and his wife was looking more than a little confused. "What was that for?"

"I can't just spontaneously kiss my wife?" Reed asked innocently.

Sue raised an eyebrow. He knew she didn't believe him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"Well, it's a long—"

"Ok, I'm ready. Jeez, there's definitely no reason you should get riled up so early in the morning, sis. It's not like I have freakin' reservations for anything. I just said I'd take you out, Sue, because I am a great and loving brother. We can go anywhere. Your pick. Well, maybe not anywhere. Can't have the ladies catching a glimpse of this fine physique, otherwise our day'll be ruined." Johnny had stopped in the hallway and was now staring between his sister and brother-in-law. "Hey, Reed. Sleep in your lab again? We really need to talk about that, by the way. One day your face is gonna be permanently smushed or something, the way you sleep. What is it? What's wrong? Reed, why're you looking at me like that?"

Reed cleared his throat and he was horrified to find his eyes filling with tears. Johnny was standing in front of him. He was there and not gone. And he was staring at Reed like he was crazy. "Looking at you like what?"

"Like you're seeing a ghost," Johnny answered warily.

"Reed?" Sue's worried voice was next to his ear.

Reed suddenly felt every emotion stampede its way through his head. He felt the weight of every moment, every burden, every fear, and every regretful feeling he would have had at the thought of not making it back. He felt sick, like the air around him was threatening to crush him and he couldn't breathe. Why he had ever thought that his work was more important than his family was beyond him. Losing Johnny had made everything clear. Work would come and go and he could make time for it. But the other Sue had been right to ask; which one _did_ he love more? And really, wasn't that an easy answer?

Overwhelmed, and before he could think about what his brother-in-law would say, he wrapped his arms around Johnny's neck in a crushing hug.

Without seeing his face, Reed knew that the younger man's eyes were as wide as saucers. Johnny didn't say anything to tease Reed, just patted him on the back awkwardly. After a while, Johnny finally spoke. "Reed? Man, you're scaring me. Everything ok?"

Reed stood back, but kept his hands on his brother-in-law's shoulders. "I'm sorry. Everything's ok. Really," he added after seeing the skeptical look on Johnny's face. In a wave of tenderness Reed didn't know he had in him, he reached up and touched the dark blonde head fondly. "You've got hair." His voice sounded wondrous, even to his own ears.

"Um, yeah," Johnny said, in a _duh, isn't that obvious _tone. "Sue, I think you need to check your husband's temperature. Or have his brain examined or something." He paused. "Reed… could you kinda get your hands offa me now? I do have a reputation to uphold."

"Right, sorry." Reed removed his hand, feeling embarrassed. Sue stepped up to them, eyeing Reed as though he just may have suddenly grown a third head. "You feeling ok, Johnny? Nothing unusual going on?"

Johnny's forehead puckered in confusion. "No, I'm fine. Reed, what the hell is going on with you, man? You hit your head on your machine or something?"

Reed threw his head back and laughed. "Yeah, or something."

"Oooook," Johnny drew the word out slowly and gave him a last disbelieving look before turning to look at Sue. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah. Just… could you give us a moment?" Sue asked, gripping Reed's arm tightly. He knew there would some questioning and he didn't know whether or not he was ready to spill everything yet. Seeing Johnny alive and well had been too much for his already overtaxed system.

Johnny looked skeptical, eyeing Reed briefly before nodding. "Yeah, sure. I'll wait for you in the lobby."

"It's good to see you, Johnny," Reed called as the younger man began walking away.

Johnny stopped, his eyes still confused. But there was a light in them that Reed was more than glad to see. "Yeah. It's good to see you, too, Reed. I'll see you later."

"Yeah. Later." Johnny walked to the elevator with a shake of his head and a smile on his lips.

As soon as he was out of sight, Sue turned on him, her eyebrows furrowed. "Reed, what the hell is going on? You were looking at Johnny like you haven't seen him in a long time. You haven't kissed me like that in… well, it's been a while. What's up?"

"Wait. Where's Ben?" It occurred to him that he hadn't seen his best friend yet. He looked over Sue's shoulder trying to see if Ben's room door was open.

"He's over at Alicia's," Sue told him as if he was supposed to know. "Reed, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I'll… I'll explain later. I just…. I _missed _you, Sue. Everything. I missed everything. And everyone. And I'm sorry for making you feel like you've been neglected, but I promise I'll make it up to you. Every day from now on. I'll put my work on hold, we'll—"

Reed was silenced by Sue's finger on his lips. "Reed, I never said you had to put your work on hold. I know your work is important to you. And I would never ask you to give it up. Only occasionally." A coy smile was playing at her lips. Reed kissed her fully and passionately.

"You're important, too, Sue," Reed murmured gently. "I hope you know that."

"I know." Sue sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "I just wanna feel like it sometimes, that's all."

"Well, I don't have anything going on tonight," Reed stated suggestively. "Maybe we can start working on expanding the family."

Sue pulled her head up. "You mean that?"

Reed nodded enthusiastically. "I do." Maybe they could have a girl and a boy. He thought about suggesting the names Victoria and Spencer to Sue. He wondered what she would think about that.

She hugged him tightly. When she pulled back again, her eyes were brimmed with tears. "I have to go before Johnny starts calling me a hypocrite. But, you'll explain everything to me later?"

"Yes," he promised.

"Ok." She gripped his face and kissed him quickly before disentangling herself from his arms. "I love you, Reed," she called as the elevator closed its doors.

"I love you, too." The elevator made a pinging sound as it made its way down. Reed quickly rid himself of the white lab coat and moved to the room he shared with Sue, looking through the drawers for clothes he could change into after he took a shower.

He needed to find Ben and gather everyone for dinner later in the evening. Everything was ok again. And he would try to make sure it would stay that way. He would make it work. And first thing tomorrow morning, he would destroy his machine. He could always build another one anyway.

As he hopped into the shower, Reed hoped that the Sue he'd left behind would find his doppelganger. It wouldn't be perfect. But, he knew, whether they were the Reed and Sue of 2005 or 2020, they always found a way of working things out.

_To be continued…_


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Sue looked down at the wrinkled paper in her hands and back up again. She felt foolish for being nervous about meeting Reed. It was Reed for crying out loud. But, it was a completely different Reed.

_You gonna stand there like a wimp all day, Sue?_ a voice asked in her head. It sounded suspiciously like Johnny. A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed thickly. She'd been doing that a lot these days. Sue knew she wouldn't have ever come had Reed not made her promise. And she never went back on her word.

She took a deep breath and stepped up to the worn looking door. It was now or never.

With more confidence than she felt, she stuffed the address into her jeans pocket, took another deep breath and, with a heavy hand, knocked on the door.

A couple of minutes later and no answer left Sue discouraged. She figured it was too easy. After all this time, Reed probably didn't even want to see her. He'd probably taken one look through the peephole, seen her and shied away out of fear.

Feeling slightly disappointed, she began turning away from the door when she abruptly heard it open.

"Sue? Is that you?"

Sue turned back sharply. A rumpled looking Reed was standing at the door wearing his lab coat over a t-shirt and boxers.

"Reed. Hi." Her throat suddenly felt dry and she gestured nervously with her hands, but no words left her mouth.

Reed looked stunned to see her, brows furrowed, assessing her. His eyes were wide, as though he really didn't believe she was actually standing there, but he recovered first. "It's been a long time." He cleared his throat. "You look great."

"Thanks," Sue said. She looked him over again. "You look… well, you look like you." She tucked a blonde strand behind her ear and bit her lip. "You're probably wondering what I'm doing here."

"Well, Reed told me the situation. Sort of. And the fact that my other self explained something to me is the strangest thing that's ever happened to me. But, I, uh, didn't actually think you'd come."

"Oh." Sue was surprised how much hearing that disappointed her. "I'm sorry. I don't wanna impose or anything, so I'll, uh, just go."

"No, no, wait. Don't go. That's not what I…. It's just, uh—it's good to see you, Sue. It really has been a long time."

Sue released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. It was one of relief.

"Yeah, it's uh, good to see you, too. I mean this you, or you you, or… oh, you know what I mean."

Reed laughed. He ran a hand through his dark hair nervously. "I know what you mean. It's a complicated situation. Although scientifically speaking, it's really not proba—" He stopped himself and looked down sheepishly.

Sue smiled. Some things didn't change.

"Anyway, like I said, Reed told me about the situation. And I read—" He paused long enough to pierce her with sad, honest eyes. "I'm really sorry about Johnny."

Sue immediately rubbed at her stinging eyes. "Thank you." Her voice cracked.

Reed opened the door further and moved aside. "Do you wanna come in and talk? I'll put on some coffee."

"With cream and sugar?" She asked hesitantly.

"With cream and sugar," Reed affirmed with a small smile.

Sue walked forward, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Ok."

And, somehow, she knew it would be.


End file.
